Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions are perhaps the easiest to complete, you simply put a cross in a box. However, the questions often have two answers that could, at first glance, be correct. Don’t make the mistake of reading the first answer and thinking this is correct without checking all the others.
If it says 'Tick one box', you must tick one box. If you leave it blank or tick two or more boxes you will get zero marks. These multiple choice questions will not start with command words like ‘describe’ or ‘explain’. They will be written in the form of a question like ‘What…?’ or ‘Why…?’
There will be more multiple choice questions on the Foundation paper.
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Sample Question 1 - Foundation
Question
When food is eaten, some of the radiation the food emits is detectable outside the body.
Which type of radiation would not be detectable outside the body? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Alpha | |
| B | Beta | |
| C | Gamma |
| A |
|---|
| Alpha |
| B |
|---|
| Beta |
| C |
|---|
| Gamma |
| A | Alpha | ✔ |
| B | Beta | |
| C | Gamma |
| A |
|---|
| Alpha |
| ✔ |
| B |
|---|
| Beta |
| C |
|---|
| Gamma |
Alpha particles are stopped by skin alone so would not be able to penetrate the many layers of tissue in the body.
Sample Question 2 - Foundation
Question
The activity of a sample of potassium-40 is measured 3 times.
The measurements are given below.
| 4,906 Bq | 4,956 Bq | 4,889 Bq |
| 4,906 Bq |
| 4,956 Bq |
| 4,889 Bq |
Which of the following statements explains why the readings are different? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | Radioactive decay is constant | |
| B | Radioactive decay is hazardous | |
| C | Radioactive decay is random |
| A |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is constant |
| B |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is hazardous |
| C |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is random |
| A | Radioactive decay is constant | |
| B | Radioactive decay is hazardous | |
| C | Radioactive decay is random | ✔ |
| A |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is constant |
| B |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is hazardous |
| C |
|---|
| Radioactive decay is random |
| ✔ |
As radioactive decay is random, repeated measurements are unlikely to be identical.
Sample Question 3 - Higher
Question
A nucleus is much smaller than an atom.
Approximately how many times smaller is a nucleus than an atom? [1 mark]
Tick one box.
| A | 100 | |
| B | 1,000 | |
| C | 10,000 | |
| D | 100,000 |
| A |
|---|
| 100 |
| B |
|---|
| 1,000 |
| C |
|---|
| 10,000 |
| D |
|---|
| 100,000 |
| A | 100 | |
| B | 1,000 | |
| C | 10,000 | ✔ |
| D | 100,000 |
| A |
|---|
| 100 |
| B |
|---|
| 1,000 |
| C |
|---|
| 10,000 |
| ✔ |
| D |
|---|
| 100,000 |
A nucleus is 10,000 times smaller than an atom.