CAIE IGCSE Physics Random Radioactive Emission

Practise explaining small differences between repeated or predicted radiation counts as random fluctuations in radioactive decay rather than measurement failure.

Exam points

explain unequal repeated count rates as random fluctuations in radioactive emission or decay

[Maximum number: 1]

A radiation detector is set up in a laboratory where there are no radioactive samples.

On six separate occasions, the detector is switched on for 1.0 minute and the background count is recorded. The counts are:

\begin{array}{llllll} 23 & 27 & 25 & 24 & 20 & 25 \end{array}

State why the readings are not all identical.

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5.2.2.1—Emission of radiation from a nucleus question 1