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CAIE A-Level Physics 11.1.10 Alpha and Beta Energy Spectra

Practise explaining why alpha particles have discrete energies while beta particles have a continuous spectrum, including energy sharing with the neutrino.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Physics 9702
Level
AS

Exam points

  • explain why alpha particles have discrete energies while beta particles have a continuous energy range
  • relate the continuous beta spectrum to energy sharing with the emitted neutrino or antineutrino

11.1.10—Α-particles have discrete energies but that β-particles have a continuous question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

A stationary nucleus of magnesium-27, 1227Mg{ }_{12}^{27} \mathrm{Mg}, decays by emitting a β−\beta^{-}particle and γ\gamma radiation. An incomplete equation to represent this decay is

1227Mg→X+β−+γ.{ }_{12}^{27} \mathrm{Mg} \rightarrow \mathrm{X}+\beta^{-}+\gamma .

State two possible reasons why the sum of the kinetic energy of the β−\beta^{-}particle and the energy of the γ\gamma radiation is less than the total energy released during the decay of the magnesium nucleus.
1.
2.

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