24   21 A hundred years ago, a method to determine the age of certain rocks was developed. An unstable isotope of rubidium is present in some rocks when they form. Over time the rubidium decays to a stable isotope of strontium. (a) Rubidium decays to strontium via β− decay. Complete the nuclear equation representing the decay. 37 .............Rb → 87 .............Sr + ............. .............β− + ν– e (2) (b) A sample of Moon rock from the Apollo 11 mission was analysed to determine the age of the rock. When the sample was analysed the number of rubidium atoms was NR and the number of strontium atoms was NS. As strontium atoms have all been produced from the decay of rubidium, the original number of rubidium atoms in the sample was (NR + NS ). From the analysis of the sample, it was determined that N N S R = 0.0532 Deduce whether this ratio is consistent with the Earth and the Moon forming at the same time. age of Earth = 4.5 × 109 years half-life of rubidium isotope = 4.88 × 1010 years (5) .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25   (c) Give a reason why the half-life of the rubidium isotope is hard to determine. (1) .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. (d) Recent investigations suggest that the half-life of the rubidium isotope may be larger than the traditionally accepted value. Explain how this would affect the ages obtained by this dating method. (2) .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. (Total for Question 21 = 10 marks) TOTAL FOR PAPER = 90 MARKS 26   List of data, formulae and relationships Acceleration of free fall g = 9.81 m s−2 (close to Earth’s surface) Boltzmann constant k = 1.38 × 10−23 J K−1 Coulomb law constant k = 1 4πε0 = 8.99 × 109 N m2 C−2 Electron charge e = −1.60 × 10−19 C Electron mass me = 9.11 × 10−31 kg Electronvolt 1 eV = 1.60 × 10−19 J Gravitational constant G = 6.67 × 10−11 N m2 kg−2 Gravitational field strength g = 9.81 N kg−1 (close to Earth’s surface) Permittivity of free space ε0 = 8.85 × 10−12 F m−1 Planck constant h = 6.63 × 10−34 J s Proton mass mp = 1.67 × 10−27 kg Speed of light in a vacuum c = 3.00 × 108 m s−1 Stefan-Boltzmann constant σ = 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 K−4 Unified atomic mass unit u = 1.66 × 10−27 kg Mechanics Kinematic equations of motion s =  (u + v)t 2 v = u + at s = ut + 1 2 at2 v2 = u2 + 2as Forces ∑F = ma g =  F m W = mg moment of force = Fx Momentum p = mv Work, energy and power ΔW = FΔs Ek = 1 2 mv2 ΔEgrav = mgΔh P = E t P =  W t efficiency = useful energy output total energy input efficiency =  useful power output total power input Turn over 27   Electric circuits Potential difference V =  W Q Resistance R = V I Electrical power and energy P = VI P = I 2R P = V 2 R W = VIt Resistivity R =  ρl A Current I = ΔQ Δt I = nqvA Materials Density ρ =  m V Stokes’ law F = 6πηrv Hooke’s law ΔF = kΔ x Young modulus Stress σ =  F A Strain ε = Δ x x E =  σ ε Elastic strain energy ΔEel = 1 2 FΔ x Waves and particle nature of light Wave speed v = f λ Speed of a transverse wave on a string v = T μ Intensity of radiation I =  P A Power of a lens P =  1 f P = P1 + P2 + P3 + … Thin lens equation 1 u  +  1 v  =  1 f Magnification for a lens m =  image height object height =  v u Diffraction grating nλ = d sin θ Refractive index n1 sin θ1 = n2 sin θ2 n = c v Critical angle sin C = 1 n Photon model E = h f Einstein’s photoelectric equation hf = ϕ + 1 2 mv2 max de Broglie wavelength λ = h p 28   Further mechanics Impulse FΔt = Δp Kinetic energy of a non-relativistic particle Ek =  p2 2m Motion in a circle v = ωr T = 2π ω F = ma =  mv2 r a = v2 r a = rω2 F = mrω2 Fields Coulomb’s law F =  Q1Q2 4πε0r2 Electric field strength E =  F Q E = Q 4πε0r2 E =  V d Electric potential V = Q 4πε0r Capacitance C = Q V Energy stored in a capacitor W = 1 2 QV W = 1 2 CV 2 W = 1 2 Q 2 C Capacitor discharge Q = Q0e−t/RC I = I0e−t/RC V = V0e−t/RC ln Q = ln Q0 −  t RC ln I = ln I0 −  t RC ln V = ln V0 −  t RC In a magnetic field F = BIl sin θ F = Bqv sin θ Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws E =  −d(Nϕ) dt Root-mean-square values Vr ms =  V0 √2 Ir ms =  I0 √2 29   Nuclear and particle physics In a magnetic field r =  p BQ Thermodynamics Heating ΔE = mcΔθ ΔE = LΔm Molecular kinetic theory 1 2 mác2ñ = 3 2 kT pV = 1 3 Nmác2ñ Ideal gas equation pV = NkT Stefan-Boltzmann law L = σAT 4 L = 4πr2σT 4 Wien’s law λmaxT = 2.898 × 10−3 m K Space Intensity I =  L 4πd 2 Redshift of electromagnetic radiation z = Δλ λ  ≈ Δf f  ≈ v c Cosmological expansion v = H0d Nuclear radiation Mass-energy ΔE = c2Δm Radioactive decay A = λN dN dt  = −λN λ =  ln 2 t½ N = N0 e−λt A = A0 e−λt Gravitational fields Gravitational force F = Gm1m2 r 2 Gravitational field strength g = Gm r 2 Gravitational potential Vgrav = −Gm r Oscillations Simple harmonic motion F = −k x a = −ω2x x = A cos ωt v = −Aω sin ωt a = ‒Aω2 cos ωt T = 1 f  =  2π ω ω = 2π f Simple harmonic oscillator T = 2π m k T = 2π l g 30   BLANK PAGE 31   BLANK PAGE 32   BLANK PAGE