IB Physics HL B 3 2 Amount of Substance Questions

Practise IB Physics HL B.3.2 by combining molar mass, Avogadro’s constant and particle counting in gas and isotope problems.

Syllabus
First assessment 2025
Course
Physics HL
Level
HL

Exam points

  • Explain work done by a force as an energy transfer to or from a system.
  • Calculate work and the corresponding energy transfer from complete force–displacement evidence, using consistent units and sign conventions.

IB Physics HL B 3 2 Amount of Substance Questions question 1

[Maximum number: 2]

Magnesium-27 nuclei (1227Mg)\left({ }_{12}^{27} \mathrm{Mg}\right) decay by beta-minus (β−)\left(\beta^{-}\right)decay to form nuclei of aluminium-27 (Al).

Small amounts of magnesium in a material can be detected by firing neutrons at magnesium-26 nuclei. This process is known as irradiation.

Magnesium-27 is formed because of irradiation. The products of the beta-particle emission are observed as the magnesium-27 decays to aluminium-27.

The smallest mass of magnesium that can be detected with this technique is 1.1×10−8 kg1.1 \times 10^{-8} \mathrm{~kg}.

Show that the smallest number of magnesium atoms that can be detected with this technique is about 101710^{17}.

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