A nuclear physicist finds 1.0 μg of 236U in a piece ofuranium ore and assumes it is primordial since its half-life is2.3×107 y . (a) Calculate the amount of 236U that wouldhad to have been on Earth when it formed 4.5×109 y agofor 1.0 μg to be left today. (b) What is unreasonable aboutthis result? (c) What assumption is responsible?
Radioactive decay
The emission of energy to produce ionizing radiation is known as radioactive decay. Alpha, beta particles, and gamma rays are examples of ionizing radiation that could be released. Radioactive decay happens in radionuclides, which are imbalanced atoms. This periodic table's elements come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Several of these kinds are stable like nitrogen-14, hydrogen-2, and potassium-40, whereas others are not like uranium-238. In nature, one of the most stable phases of an element is usually the most prevalent. Every element, meanwhile, has an unstable state. Unstable variants are radioactive and release ionizing radiation. Certain elements, including uranium, have no stable forms and are constantly radioactive. Radionuclides are elements that release ionizing radiation.
Artificial Radioactivity
The radioactivity can be simply referred to as particle emission from nuclei due to the nuclear instability. There are different types of radiation such as alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Along with these there are different types of decay as well.
A nuclear physicist finds 1.0 μg of 236U in a piece of
uranium ore and assumes it is primordial since its half-life is
2.3×107 y . (a) Calculate the amount of 236U that would
had to have been on Earth when it formed 4.5×109 y ago
for 1.0 μg to be left today. (b) What is unreasonable about
this result? (c) What assumption is responsible?
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