A-LevelPhysicsNuclear physicsFeb/Mar 2016Paper 1 Q401 Mark

Thorium-234 (²³⁴₉₀ Th) decays by β⁻ emission into a daughter product which in turn decays by a further β⁻ emission into a granddaughter product. Which letter in the diagram represents the granddaughter product? [Figure 40.1]

Q: What topic does this question test?

This question tests Nuclear physics in A-Level Physics (syllabus code 9702). It is worth 1 mark.

APoint A (nucleon number 233, proton number 92)

BPoint B (nucleon number 234, proton number 92)

CPoint C (nucleon number 233, proton number 89)

DPoint D (nucleon number 235, proton number 88)

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is B: Point B (nucleon number 234, proton number 92)

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

🔒

Unlock the Examiner's Analysis

Join thousands of Cambridge students already using Oracle Prep

About This A-Level Physics Question

Topic

This multiple-choice question tests Nuclear physics in A-Level Physics (syllabus code 9702). It is worth 1 mark.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Physics Feb/Mar 2016 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

Practice on Oracle Prep

Oracle Prep provides AI-powered practice for all Cambridge O-Level and A-Level subjects. Our platform includes topic predictions with 87.7% accuracy, AI essay grading, and a comprehensive question bank spanning 25 years of past papers across 29 subjects.