O Level Physics 5054, topic 5.2.3
Radioactive decay: past paper questions
11 Cambridge O Level Physics 5054 questions on Radioactive decay (5.2.3) from 11 papers, 2023 to 2026. Open the paper or try a question free.
Practising builds a set from this topic, free with an account. One question opens straight away, with no account.
- Questions
- 11
- Papers
- 11
- Years
- 2023 to 2026
- Total marks
- 58
- Average per question
- 5.3 marks
- Largest question
- 10 marks
By type: Multiple choice 5 · Structured 6
How hard the questions are
- Recall0
- Apply2
- Analyse4
- Not banded5
Derived from the command word Cambridge prints in each question, banded by a fixed table beside the syllabus's own definitions. A question printing no command word is unbanded: unknown, not middling.
Command words
- describeApply5 questions
state the points of a topic / give characteristics and main features
- completeApply4 questions
- explainAnalyse4 questions
set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things clear / say why and/or how and support with relevant evidence
- stateRecall4 questions
express in clear terms
- defineRecall1 question
give precise meaning
- determineApply1 question
establish an answer using the information available
- drawApply1 question
- measureApply1 question
- showApply1 question
Where the questions come from
By year
- 20262
- 20254
- 20242
- 20233
By session
- May/June6
- Oct/Nov5
By paper
- Paper 15
- Paper 26
Questions on this topic
Showing 9 of 11, spread across the years. Open one to write your answer and have it marked.
- Try this questionQuestion 37Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark
Which nuclide is produced when thorium-223, , emits an alpha-particle?
- Try this questionQuestion 8Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Structured8 marks
The nuclide notation for the radioactive isotope hydrogen-3 is . Explain why hydrogen-3 cannot decay by the emission of alpha particles.
- Try this questionQuestion 9Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Structured10 marks
In space, an interstellar cloud of dust and gas collapses to form a protostar. The cloud contains hydrogen. Describe the energy transfers that take place as the cloud collapses and forms the protostar.
- Try this questionQuestion 8May/June 2026, paper 21Structured10 marksHas a diagram
A radioactive source emits alpha particles, beta particles and gamma radiation. The radiation emitted from the radioactive source causes ionisation. State one harmful effect of ionising radiation on living things.
- Try this questionQuestion 8Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram
The nuclide notation for the radioactive isotope radon-222 is . An atom of radon-222 decays by the emission of an alpha particle (-particle). Describe how the composition of an atom of radon-222 differs from that of an atom of radon-224.
- Try this questionQuestion 39May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark
Four types of ionising radiation are listed. ● alpha particles ● beta particles ● X-rays ● gamma rays Which types of radiation can be emitted from the unstable nuclei of a radioactive material?
- Try this questionQuestion 36May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram
The nucleus of an atom emits an alpha-particle. How do the proton number and nucleon number change?
- Try this questionQuestion 8Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Structured8 marksHas a diagram
The element lithium has several different isotopes. State one way in which the compositions of the atoms of all lithium isotopes are the same.
- Try this questionQuestion 10May/June 2023, paper 21Structured8 marksHas a diagram
Carbon-14 is an isotope of carbon. It undergoes radioactive decay with a half-life of 6000 years. The age of a sample of wood is found using the carbon-14 that it contains.