GCSE Questions: Radioactivity

Q15. Polonium-210 ( ) is a radioactive isotope that decays by emitting alpha radiation.

(a) Complete the decay equation for polonium-210

[2 marks]

(b) Explain why contamination of the inside of the human body by a radioactive material that emits alpha radiation is highly dangerous.

[3 marks]

After this time it had a mass of 1.45 × 10^-4 g

The half-life of polonium-210 is 138 days.

Calculate the initial mass of the sample.

[3 marks]

(Total 8 marks)