The nuclear model of the atom: past paper questions

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• Question 36May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What is the charge on the nucleus of an atom and what is the charge on the electrons in orbit around the nucleus?

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which description of the structure of an atom is correct?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which diagram represents the structure of a neutral atom?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Atom P has 6 electrons, 6 protons and 6 neutrons. Atom Q has 6 electrons, 6 protons and 7 neutrons. Which statement is correct?

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• Question 37May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  How do atoms form positive ions?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An isotope of carbon has the nuclide notation ${}_6^{14}\text{C}$. What does the nucleus of one atom of this isotope contain?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  $\alpha$-particles are directed at a metal foil. Most of the particles pass through the foil with little change in direction.

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagrams represent the protons, neutrons and electrons in different atoms and ions. Which diagram shows a negatively charged ion?

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 32Structured8 marks

  Name three types of nuclear emission from radioactive sources.

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What are the relative charges on a proton, a neutron and an electron?

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• Question 34May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  When a beam of positively charged alpha particles is directed towards a thin sheet of gold in a vacuum, the following observations are made. 1 Most of the alpha particles pass straight through the sheet of gold.

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  ${}_{94}^{239}\text{Pu}$ is an isotope of plutonium. The nucleus can absorb a neutron and then split to form two other nuclei. Two nuclei that form are gold, ${}_{79}^{207}\text{Au}$, and phosphorus, ${}_{15}^{31}\text{P}$.

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2024, paper 33Structured7 marks

  State how a neutral atom becomes a positive ion.

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In $\alpha$-particle scattering, $\alpha$-particles are incident on a thin metal foil. Which row describes results from the experiment and a conclusion that the results lead to?

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  In which process does a large nucleus split into two smaller nuclei, each about half the size of the original nucleus?

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  The arrow shows the path of an $\alpha$-particle travelling towards the centre of a gold nucleus. Which description of the path of the $\alpha$-particle after striking the gold nucleus is correct?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2024, paper 41Structured10 marksHas a diagram

  The nuclide notation for the radioactive isotope carbon-14 is ${}_6^{14}\mathrm{C}$. Using the symbols shown in Fig. 8.1, draw a diagram to show the number of electrons, neutrons and protons in a neutral atom of carbon-14 and how they are arranged.

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Which particle is absorbed by a nucleus to cause nuclear fission?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A teacher writes the nuclide equation for a fusion reaction.

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• Question 34May/June 2026, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In a nuclear fusion reaction, a hydrogen-2 nucleus joins with a hydrogen-3 nucleus to produce nucleus X and particle Y. $${}_1^2\mathrm{H}+{}_1^3\mathrm{H}\to \mathrm{X}+\mathrm{Y}$$ Which row identifies nucleus X and particle Y?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2025, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Which change occurs in the nucleus of a radioactive atom when a beta-particle is emitted?

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• Question 8Oct/Nov 2024, paper 43Structured7 marks

  An isotope of boron is used in the treatment of cancer in the brain. Boron sticks to cancer cells in the brain. The isotope of boron is bombarded with neutrons then undergoes fission to form lithium and alpha-particles.

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  What happens in the process of nuclear fission?

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• Question 10May/June 2026, paper 31Structured4 marksHas a diagram

  The nuclide notation for americium-241 is: ${}_{95}^{241}\text{Am}$. Determine the number of: protons in one nucleus of americium-241

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• Question 10Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured6 marks

  Radium is a radioactive element with the chemical symbol Ra. The proton number for radium is 88. Radium-223 is an isotope of radium that has a nucleon number of 223.

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The scattering of $\alpha$-particles by a thin gold foil provides evidence for the nuclear model of the atom. Two $\alpha$-particles of the same energy are incident on a nucleus of gold.

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• Question 9May/June 2026, paper 32Structured7 marks

  Table 9.1 shows some features of three types of radioactive emission. The table is incomplete. Complete Table 9.1 by adding the missing information.

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• Question 9Oct/Nov 2025, paper 33Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Table 9.1 shows information about particles in an atom. Complete the table.

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• Question 33May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What is the charge on a proton and what is the charge on a neutron?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement describes how nuclear energy is released by fission in a nuclear power station?

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