plumiQuarks, leptons and nuclear equations: OCR A‑Level Physics B questions
OCR A-Level Physics B past-paper questions on 6.2.1.4 Quarks, leptons and nuclear equations, 2016–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
All papers
All years
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ5(d)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ5(d)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ6(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ6(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ39(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ39(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ41(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ41(a)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ3(c)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ4(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ31(a)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ8(a)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answerQ37(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFQ5(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗
Loading the start of the question…
Loading the question…
Open the full PDFLoading the question…
Open the full PDFYour answer
All 23 questions on Quarks, leptons and nuclear equations, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 1, Q29 (1 mark): What is the particle X? A A gamma photon B An antineutrino C A neutrino D A positron Your answer [1]
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q7 (1 mark): This incorrect equation has been written to represent positron decay. p n e + v " + + What is the reason for the equation being incorrect? A It shows that charg
- June 2024, Paper 1, Q8 (1 mark): Which list contains only leptons? A electron, neutrino, neutron B electron, neutrino, positron C neutrino, positron, proton D neutrino, neutron, proton [1] Your
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q5(d)(i) (1 mark): State the nucleon that is shown in Fig. 5.3. [1]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q5(d)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest and explain why the kinetic energy of the electron is lower after it has scattered from the nucleon. [2]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q6(a)(i) (1 mark): Thorium-234 decays into protactinium-234. Identify the particle X in the equation below. 234 234 91Pa + 0 90Th –1e + X [1]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q6(a)(iii) (1 mark): State why your answer to (a)(ii) is the maximum energy of the beta-minus particle. [1]
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q39(b)(i) (1 mark): Complete the table below: Before reaction After reaction Total number of up quarks Total number of down quarks [1]
- June 2023, Paper 1, Q39(b)(ii) (1 mark): Explain how the equation shows that lepton number is conserved in the reaction. [1]
- June 2022, Paper 1, Q25 (1 mark): The decay equation of strontium-90 is: 90 90 –1e + 0 0 0v–. 38Sr 39Y + Which of the following quantities is not conserved in the decay? A charge B lepton number
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q41(a)(ii) (1 mark): The β-particles from neutron decay have a spectrum of energies up to this maximum value as shown in Fig. 41.1. relative frequency of beta emission maximum beta
- November 2021, Paper 1, Q41(a)(iv) (1 mark): A down quark has electric charge of – 1 3e. 3 State what is happening in terms of quarks during β-decay. [1]
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q3(c)(i) (2 marks): Explain how the equation shows that lepton number is conserved in the fusion reactions. [2]
- November 2021, Paper 3, Q4(a)(iii) (2 marks): The parent isotope of krypton-81m is rubidium-81. Complete the following decay equation for the production of krypton-81m. [2] Rb Kr + 1 + 81 81m 0 0 ν 36 0
- November 2020, Paper 1, Q31(a) (1 mark): Complete the equation. [1]
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q8(a) (3 marks): Carbon-14 decays by beta emission. Identify the particle X in the equation below and state how it ensures that lepton number and mass-energy is conserved in the
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q19 (1 mark): Protons consist of quarks. 3 and the ‘down’ anti-quark has a charge of + 1e The ‘up’ anti-quark has a charge of – 2e 3 , where e is the charge on an electron. W
- June 2019, Paper 1, Q37(a)(i) (1 mark): Complete the equation for this fusion reaction: 2 3 4 .... 1H + 1H → ....He + ....n + released binding energy. [1]
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q5(b)(i) (2 marks): Show that a total of eight alpha decays and six beta decays will produce 206 82Pb from 238 92U. [2]
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q12 (1 mark): The diagram shows the beta energy spectrum for emissions from a radioactive isotope. 1.0 relative frequency of beta emission 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q33(a) (2 marks): Complete the decay equation. 210 210 0 0 83 Bi Po + −1 e + y [2]
- June 2018, Paper 1, Q33(b) (1 mark): State why an antineutrino is emitted during beta decay. [1]
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q6(a) (3 marks): Explain how the decay equation shows that charge and lepton number are both conserved and name one other property that is conserved in the decay. [3]
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © OCR, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? OCR A-Level Physics B past papers.
The Plumi iPad app also offers exam-style questions with AI feedback on your handwritten working.