Physics · Paper 1
Atomic structure
The structure of an atom, isotopes, how the model of the atom developed, radioactive decay and nuclear radiation, nuclear equations, half-lives, contamination and irradiation, background radiation, uses and hazards of radiation, and nuclear fission and fusion.
Lessons
Ticks are remembered on this device only.
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1
The structure of an atom
Describe the nuclear model of the atom: the size of atoms and nuclei, protons, neutrons and electrons, and electron energy levels.
6 terms -
2
Mass number, atomic number and isotopes
Use atomic number and mass number, write nuclear symbols, and describe isotopes and ions.
6 terms -
4
Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation
Describe radioactive decay, activity and count rate, and compare alpha, beta and gamma radiation in terms of penetration, range in air and ionising power.
6 terms -
5
Nuclear equations
Write balanced nuclear equations for alpha and beta decay by balancing atomic numbers and mass numbers.
6 terms -
6
Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay
Define half-life, explain how it relates to the random nature of decay, determine half-lives from data, and calculate the net decline after a number of…
6 terms -
7
Radioactive contamination and irradiation
Distinguish contamination from irradiation, compare their hazards, and describe precautions and the role of peer review.
6 terms -
8
Background radiation
Describe the natural and man-made sources of background radiation, and explain how radiation dose can vary with occupation and location.
6 terms -
9
Half-lives, hazards and uses of nuclear radiation
Explain how the hazards of radioactive materials depend on half-life, and describe and evaluate the uses of nuclear radiation in medicine.
6 terms -
10
Nuclear fission and fusion
Describe nuclear fission and chain reactions, how they are controlled in a reactor, and nuclear fusion.
6 terms
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- The structure of an atom.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- The structure of an atom - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- The structure of an atom - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Mass number atomic number and isotopes.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Mass number atomic number and isotopes - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Mass number atomic number and isotopes - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive decay and nuclear radiation - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear equations.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear equations - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear equations - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive contamination and irradiation.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive contamination and irradiation - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Radioactive contamination and irradiation - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Background radiation.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Background radiation - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Background radiation - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives hazards and uses of nuclear radiation.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives hazards and uses of nuclear radiation - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Half-lives hazards and uses of nuclear radiation - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear fission and fusion.pptx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear fission and fusion - Completed Notes.docx The full notes for the lesson, to revise from. Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
- Nuclear fission and fusion - Exam Questions.docx Built from the lesson script on 30 September 2026. View
Key terms in this chapter
All 54, gathered from every lesson.
- Atom
- The smallest part of an element that can exist.
- Nucleus
- The positively charged centre of an atom containing protons and neutrons.
- Proton
- A positive particle in the nucleus.
- Neutron
- A neutral particle in the nucleus.
- Electron
- A negative particle that orbits the nucleus.
- Energy level
- A distance from the nucleus at which an electron can be.
- Atomic number
- The number of protons in an atom.
- Mass number
- The total number of protons and neutrons.
- Isotopes
- Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.
- Ion
- An atom that has lost or gained electrons.
- Element
- A substance made of atoms with the same number of protons.
- Nuclide
- A particular type of nucleus, such as carbon-14.
- Radioactive decay
- The random process in which an unstable nucleus emits radiation.
- Activity
- The rate at which a source decays, in becquerel.
- Count rate
- Number of decays detected each second.
- Ionising
- Able to knock electrons off atoms.
- Alpha particle
- Two protons and two neutrons.
- Gamma ray
- Electromagnetic radiation from the nucleus.
- Nuclear equation
- An equation showing what happens to a nucleus in radioactive decay.
- Balanced
- The same mass number total and atomic number total on both sides.
- Daughter nucleus
- The nucleus formed after decay.
- Alpha decay
- Emission of a helium nucleus.
- Beta decay
- A neutron changes to a proton and an electron is emitted.
- Gamma emission
- Release of energy from the nucleus as electromagnetic radiation.
- Half-life
- The time for the number of nuclei (or the activity) to halve.
- Random
- Cannot be predicted for a single nucleus.
- Count rate
- The number of decays detected each second.
- Activity
- The rate of decay of a source, in becquerel.
- Decay curve
- A graph showing how activity falls with time.
- Background
- The radiation that is always around us.
- Contamination
- The unwanted presence of radioactive atoms on or in other materials.
- Irradiation
- Exposure to nuclear radiation without radioactive atoms being transferred.
- Shielding
- Material used to absorb radiation.
- Peer review
- Checking of scientific work by other scientists.
- Hazard
- Something that could cause harm.
- Precaution
- An action to reduce a risk.
- Background radiation
- Radiation that is around us all the time.
- Cosmic rays
- High-energy particles from space.
- Radon
- A radioactive gas from rocks.
- Radiation dose
- A measure of the risk of harm from radiation, in sieverts.
- Millisievert
- One thousandth of a sievert.
- Man-made
- Produced by human activity.
- Tracer
- A radioactive substance used to follow a process in the body.
- Radiotherapy
- Treating cancer using nuclear radiation.
- Half-life
- The time for the activity to halve.
- Gamma camera
- A device that detects gamma rays from a tracer.
- Unwanted tissue
- Tissue such as a tumour.
- Risk
- The chance of harm.
- Nuclear fission
- The splitting of a large, unstable nucleus.
- Nuclear fusion
- The joining of two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus.
- Chain reaction
- A reaction in which the products cause more of the same reaction.
- Control rods
- Rods that absorb neutrons to control a reactor.
- Fission products
- The smaller nuclei produced by fission.
- Nuclear reactor
- A device in which fission is controlled.