plumiBackground radiation: Edexcel International A Level Physics questions
Edexcel International A Level Physics past-paper questions on 5.4.2.1 Background radiation, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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All 9 questions on Background radiation, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q6 (1 mark): In a laboratory, the background count rate is 22 counts per minute. A detector is placed 25 cm from a gamma source. The count rate recorded by the detector is 5
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q14(b) (2 marks): Explain one modification to her method that would give a more accurate value for the count rate. (2)
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q7 (1 mark): A student is investigating the absorption of gamma radiation by lead. Before starting the investigation, she determines the background count. Which of the follo
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q1 (1 mark): A student used a detector and counter to measure the background radiation count for five minutes. He used this value to calculate the background count rate. Whi
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q13(c) (3 marks): A fertiliser contains potassium chloride. The activity of a sample of the fertiliser due to radioactive potassium was 48.6 Bq. It is claimed that the time t tak
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q7 (1 mark): A student investigates the absorption of gamma radiation by lead. She determines the background radiation count rate before she starts the investigation. Which
- January 2022, Unit 6, Q3(b) (2 marks): The radiation emitted from a radioactive source can be investigated using the apparatus shown. The Geiger-Muller (GM) tube detects beta radiation and gamma radi
- June 2021, Unit 5, Q1 (1 mark): A detector and counter were placed near a radium source. A student measured the count for one minute. He used this value to calculate the count rate in Bq from
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q6 (1 mark): To correct the readings for the effect of background radiation she should A add the background count to each count. B add the background count rate to each coun
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