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One use of radioisotopes is for the dating of geological materials such as ancient lava
flows from extinct volcanoes. One method involves measuring the amounts of
40
potassium-40 ( K) found in the lava compared with the amounts of its decay product
40
argon-40 ( Ar).
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
There are two other naturally occurring isotopes of argon, argon-36 and
argon-38.
Describe how a mass spectrum of naturally occurring argon gas would show the
presence of all three isotopes of argon and the relative abundance of each.
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[2]
(iv)
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[4]
[Total 8 marks]
2.
Some rocks contain radioactive isotopes that can be used to date the rocks.
Dating of rocks requires being able to accurately measure the amount of both original
(parent) radioisotope and finishing (daughter) stable isotope.
(i)
(ii) A time-of-flight mass spectrometer can be used to measure the amount of parent
and daughter isotopes.
Write the following labels on the diagram of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer
below.
acceleration area
ion detector
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
l i g
s a m
p l e
h e a v y
v a c u u m
h t
i o n s
i n l e t
c h a m
i o n s
b e r
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[4] [Total 6 marks]
3.
In April 1986, the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl in the Soviet Union exploded, releasing
a mixture of radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere.
One of the main isotopes released was
(i)
131
53 I
131
53 I
131
(ii)
131
The half-life of 53 I is 8 days. A sample manufactured for use in hospitals has an
original count rate of 16 000 counts per minute. It can be used as a tracer as long
as its count rate is at or above 500 counts per minute.
131
53 I
be used as a tracer?
................................... days
[2]
[Total 4 marks]
4.
(a) One method used by geologists to date igneous rocks relies on the fact that
radioactive elements are present in the rock.
These elements decay as part of a radioactive series.
One series starts with the radioactive uranium-238 isotope and ends with a stable lead
isotope, lead-206.
(i)
(ii)
The first step in the series is the decay of uranium-238 by alpha emission.
Complete the following nuclear equation representing this step.
238
92
(iii)
U ........
........ TH +
........
........
[3]
The half-life of this first step is very long and this enables the series to be
used to date some of the oldest rocks on earth.
Explain the meaning of the term half-life.
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[2]
(iv)
(b)
Another stage in this decay series results in the formation and then decay of an
isotope of the gas, radon.
Suggest why this might result in an underestimate of the age of the rock.
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[2]
[Total 11 marks]