The Physics Question Bank

← All topics  |  Atomic structure topic page  |  Key: C+S = Combined and Separate · S only = Separate only · HT = Higher only  |  🔍 = see example pictures (Google Images, SafeSearch on)

Lesson 1 – The structure of the atom and isotopes (C+S)

1. Read and copy notes: Atoms and Isotopes → “Inside the atom” table and the copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 1 “Atomic number”, 2 “Mass number”, 3 “What are isotopes?” and 4 “What is an ion?”
3. Copy worked examples: Atoms and Isotopes → Q3 (protons, neutrons and electrons in carbon-14) and Q10 (how many times bigger the atom is than the nucleus).
4. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 38 (nuclear model) 🔍 and diagram 41 (electron energy levels) 🔍.
5. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 1 (structure of the atom) and passage 2 (atomic number, mass number and isotopes).
6. Practise: Atoms and Isotopes → Q1, Q2, Q4, Q8 and Q9.

Lesson 2 – How the model of the atom developed (C+S)

1. Read: Atoms and Isotopes → “How the model of the atom developed” and the alpha scattering results.
2. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 39 (plum pudding model) 🔍 and diagram 40 (alpha scattering experiment) 🔍.
3. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 3 (how the model changed) and passage 10 (the alpha scattering experiment).
4. Practise: Atoms and Isotopes → Q5, Q6 and Q7.
5. Lesson activity: Science Detectives.

Lesson 3 – Radioactive decay and types of radiation (C+S)

1. Read and copy notes: Radioactive Decay and Half-life → notes and the alpha/beta/gamma copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 5 “What is radioactive decay?”, 9 “Alpha particle”, 10 “Beta particle”, 11 “Gamma ray” and 12 “What does ionising mean?”
3. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 42 (penetration of alpha, beta and gamma) 🔍.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 4 (types of nuclear radiation).

Lesson 4 – Nuclear equations (C+S)

1. Read: Nuclear Decay Equations → the rules for alpha, beta and gamma equations.
2. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 43 (alpha decay equation for radium-226) 🔍. See also 🔍 beta decay equations.
3. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 5 (nuclear equations).
4. Practise: all the questions on Nuclear Decay Equations.

Lesson 5 – Activity and half-life (C+S; ratios HT)

1. Read: Radioactive Decay and Half-life → the half-life notes.
2. Copy definitions: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 6 “What is activity?”, 7 “What is count-rate?” and 8 “What is half-life?”
3. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 44 (half-life graph) 🔍 and diagram 45 (Geiger-Muller tube) 🔍.
4. Copy worked example: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 12 (half-life calculation: 800 Bq with a 2-hour half-life) – copy it with the answers filled in.
5. Fill the gaps: passage 6 (activity and half-life).
6. Practise: the half-life questions on Radioactive Decay and Half-life.

Lesson 6 – Hazards: contamination and irradiation (C+S)

1. Copy notes: Radioactive Decay and Half-life → the contamination vs irradiation part of the copy box.
2. Copy definition: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 13 “Contamination vs irradiation”.
3. See examples: 🔍 contamination and irradiation.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 7 (contamination and irradiation) and passage 11 (radiation safety).
5. Practise: the hazard questions on Radioactive Decay and Half-life.
6. Lesson activity: Hospital Radiation Officer.

Lesson 7 – Background radiation and uses of radiation (S only)

1. Read and copy notes: Hazards, Uses, Fission and Fusion → “Background radiation”, “Half-life and hazard” and “Uses in medicine”, plus the first two points of the copy box.
2. Copy definition: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 14 “What is background radiation?”
3. See examples: 🔍 sources of background radiation and 🔍 medical tracers.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 8 (background radiation and uses).
5. Copy worked example: Hazards, Uses, Fission and Fusion → Q8 (evaluating radiation in medicine – note the benefits / risks / judgement structure).
6. Practise: same page → Q1, Q2, Q6 and Q7.

Lesson 8 – Nuclear fission and fusion (S only)

1. Read and copy notes: Hazards, Uses, Fission and Fusion → “Nuclear fission” and “Nuclear fusion”, plus the rest of the copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Atomic structure topic page → Key definitions → 15 “Nuclear fission”, 16 “Chain reaction” and 17 “Nuclear fusion”.
3. Draw: Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure → diagram 46 (fission chain reaction) 🔍 and diagram 47 (fusion) 🔍.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Atomic Structure → passage 9 (fission and fusion).
5. Practise: Hazards, Uses, Fission and Fusion → Q3, Q4 and Q5.
6. Lesson activity: Power of the Future.

Lesson 9 – Review and test (C+S)

1. Read: Atomic structure topic page → “⚠️ Where students lose marks”. Copy the three you think you’d get wrong.
2. Test yourself: Atomic structure topic page → cover the answers and try all 17 Key definitions (Combined: 1–13 only).
3. Mind map: Mind map guide → Atomic structure.
4. Redraw from memory: diagrams 38, 40 and 42 from Key Diagrams: Atomic Structure, then check them.
5. Quiz: Atomic structure quiz – 20 questions. Mark it and work out your percentage.
6. Exam practice: AQA past papers → Paper 1 atomic structure questions.