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Question 21N.2.HL.TZ0.4c.ii

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Date November 2021 Marks available [Maximum mark: 2] Reference code 21N.2.HL.TZ0.4c.ii
Level HL Paper 2 Time zone TZ0
Command term Estimate Question number c.ii Adapted from N/A
c.ii.
[Maximum mark: 2]
21N.2.HL.TZ0.4c.ii

The energy in b(i) can be transferred into electrical energy to run the instruments of a spacecraft. A spacecraft carries 33 kg of pure plutonium-238 at launch. The decay constant of plutonium is 2.50 × 10−10 s−1.

(c.ii)

The spacecraft will take 7.2 years (2.3 × 108 s) to reach a planet in the solar system. Estimate the power available to the spacecraft when it gets to the planet.

[2]

Markscheme

available power after time t is P0e−λt ✓

18e−2.50×10−10×2.3×108=17.0 «kW» ✓

 

MP1 may be implicit.

Allow ECF from (c)(i).

Allow 17.4 kW from unrounded power from (c)(i).

Allow 18.8 kW from 6 MeV.

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