BREAKING
Student sits three sciences, gets two grades, wants a recount★Cover teacher explains biology using only physics equations★Nation in shock as student wears goggles on actual eyes★
  1. Home
  2. GCSE
  3. Combined Science
  4. Edexcel
  5. Mass number, atomic number and isotopes

Edexcel GCSE Combined Science

Topic questions Atomic structure Mass number, atomic number & isotopes

Mass number, atomic number & isotopes

5 questions · 48 marks · about 1 hour

Mass number, atomic number and isotopes questions

TopicMass number, atomic number & isotopes

Edexcel 1SC0 Mass number, atomic number and isotopes 5 questions

Paper 5: Physics 1 June 2025 Foundation tier, Question 3 9 marks

(a)

Figure 5 shows a diagram of a helium atom.

Figure for question 3

Complete the table for particles G and H, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure for question 3
[4]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)
(b)

An atom of beryllium has the symbol

Be 9 4

The beryllium atom has 4 protons.

(b)(i)

Determine the number of neutrons in this atom.

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)(i)
(b)(ii)

Determine the number of electrons in this atom.

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)(ii)
(c)
(c)(i)

Which of these is the unit for the activity of a radioactive isotope?

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(i)
(c)(ii)

The isotope nitrogen-13 (N-13) has a half-life of 10 minutes.

A sample of N-13 has an initial mass of 120 g.

Calculate the mass of N-13 that remains after 30 minutes.

mass remaining =........

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(ii)

Paper 5: Physics 1 June 2023 Foundation tier, Question 3 9 marks

An atom has a central nucleus containing neutrons and protons.

Electrons orbit the nucleus.

(a)
(a)(i)

Which row of the table gives the relative mass and charge of a proton?

Figure for question 3
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

An atom has a radius of 1.0 × 10–10m.

A nucleus has a radius of 1.0 × 10–15m.

Calculate the ratio of the radius of the atom to the radius of the nucleus.

ratio of radius of atom to radius of nucleus =........

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)(ii)
(a)(iii)

Explain why an atom has no charge overall.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)(iii)
(b)
Figure for question 3
(b)(i)

State the number of protons in one atom of carbon‑14.

number of protons =........

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)(i)
(b)(ii)

State the number of neutrons in one atom of carbon‑14.

number of neutrons =........

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)(ii)
(b)(iii)

Figure 4 shows a graph for the decay of the radioactive isotope carbon‑14.

Figure for question 3

Use the graph to estimate the half‑life of carbon‑14.

half‑life =........ years

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)(iii)

Paper 5: Physics 1 June 2022 Foundation tier, Question 4 10 marks

(a)

Figure 7 shows a safety sign on the door of a laboratory where radioactive materials are used.

Figure for question 4
(a)(i)

State one way that radioactivity can be dangerous to humans.

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

State one piece of equipment that can be used to measure radioactivity.

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(a)(ii)
(a)(iii)

Alpha (α) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are ionising radiations.

Give two other ionising radiations.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(a)(iii)
(b)
Figure for question 4
[3]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(b)
(c)

A sample of a radioactive isotope has a mass of 520 g.

The half‑life of the radioactive isotope is 18 days.

(c)(i)

Calculate the mass of the original radioactive isotope remaining after 18 days.

mass after 18 days........ g

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(c)(i)
(c)(ii)

Calculate the mass of the original radioactive isotope remaining after 54 days.

mass after 54 days........ g

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 4(c)(ii)

Paper 5: Physics 1 November 2020 Foundation tier, Question 3 11 marks

(a)
Figure for question 3
(a)(i)

How many protons are in the nucleus of an atom of strontium‑90?

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)(i)
(a)(ii)

How many neutrons are in the nucleus of an atom of strontium‑90?

Question 3, shown as an image
[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(a)(ii)
(b)

The half‑life of strontium‑90 is 29 years.

The table in Figure 4 gives some information about how the mass of a sample of strontium‑90 changes with time.

Figure for question 3

Complete the table in Figure 4.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(b)
(c)

A teacher sets up an experiment to show some students how far beta particles travel in air.

Figure 5 shows some of the equipment she uses.

Figure for question 3
(c)(i)

State the scientific name for the radioactivity detector shown in Figure 5.

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(i)
(c)(ii)

The teacher also has:

• a radioactive source that emits only beta particles

• a metre rule.

State two precautions the teacher must take to protect herself from the effects of radioactivity.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(ii)
(c)(iii)

Describe how the teacher could show how far beta particles travel in air.

[4]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 3(c)(iii)

Paper 5: Physics 1 June 2019 Higher tier, Question 2 9 marks

(a)

Carbon-13 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon.

Nuclei of carbon-13 and carbon-14 can be represented by these symbols

Question 2, shown as an image

13 14

Complete the table for an atom of carbon-13 and an atom of carbon-14.

Figure for question 2
[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(a)
(b)(i)

State the name of an instrument that can be used to measure radioactivity.

[1]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(b)(i)
(b)(ii)

State two sources of background radiation.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(b)(ii)
(c)

Carbon-14 is radioactive and has a half-life of 5 700 years.

The number of radioactive carbon-14 atoms in a very old piece of wood is found to have decreased from 1 000 000 to 125 000.

Determine the age of the piece of wood.

age of wood =........ years

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(c)
(d)

Carbon-14 decays into nitrogen-14.

The symbol for nitrogen-14 is147N

Explain what happens in a carbon-14 nucleus when it decays to a nitrogen-14 nucleus.

[2]
Reveal mark scheme Mark scheme for question 2(d)

Report a problem with a question on this page
What is wrong?

Goes to whoever maintains the question split. No account needed and nothing is published on this page.

Memes

Certified Combined Science memes. Peer-reviewed by nobody.

Laugh now. Cry in the exam hall later. Then come back and do a past paper.

Revise all three sciences
Just revise the fun one
Me the night before the chemistry paper
Knowing it's three sciences
Knowing which teacher does which
Remembering which equations are given
Remembering which science you're actually sitting today
Science enlightenment, combined

Mum 💖

which science is it today? 🥰

all of them somehow

go on genius!!! 💪

📱 Screen time this week · YouTube6h 21m

None of them were revised

Combined Science starter pack

Goggles worn on foreheadBunsen on the yellow flamePractical write-up, half doneThis website
Three sciences, four items