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Northern IrelandPhysics

Atomic, nuclear and space physics

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What is inside an atom, and what makes one isotope different from another?

The nuclear model of the atom, the charges and masses of protons, neutrons and electrons, atomic and mass number, and isotopes.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on the nuclear model of the atom, the relative charge and mass of protons, neutrons and electrons, atomic number and mass number, nuclide notation, and isotopes.
10 min answer →

What is half-life, and how do we use it to work out how much of a source remains?

Half-life as the time for activity to halve, reading half-life from a decay curve, and calculations of remaining activity or mass.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on the meaning of half-life, how to read a half-life from a decay curve, and how to calculate the activity or mass of a radioactive source remaining after a number of half-lives.
10 min answer →

How do nuclear fission and fusion release energy, and how do they differ?

Nuclear fission of heavy nuclei and the chain reaction, the parts of a nuclear reactor, and nuclear fusion in stars.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on nuclear fission of heavy nuclei and the chain reaction, the role of fuel rods, control rods and the moderator in a reactor, and nuclear fusion in stars and why it needs extreme conditions.
11 min answer →

What are alpha, beta and gamma radiation, and how do nuclei change when they decay?

Alpha, beta and gamma radiation and their properties, the random nature of decay, and writing balanced nuclear equations for alpha and beta decay.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on the nature and properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, the random nature of radioactive decay, and how to balance nuclear equations for alpha and beta decay.
11 min answer →

How is the Solar System structured, how do stars live and die, and what does red shift tell us about the universe?

The Solar System and orbits, the life cycle of stars, red shift, and the evidence for the expanding universe and the Big Bang.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on the structure of the Solar System and orbits, the life cycles of stars, the meaning of red shift, and how red shift provides evidence for the expanding universe and the Big Bang.
11 min answer →

How is radiation used safely, and what are its dangers to living things?

Uses of radioactive sources in medicine and industry, the dangers of ionising radiation, irradiation versus contamination, and safety precautions.
A CCEA GCSE Physics answer on the uses of radioactive sources in medicine and industry, how the choice of source depends on its radiation and half-life, the dangers of ionising radiation, and the difference between irradiation and contamination.
11 min answer →