Potassium ion is present in foods and is an essential nutrient in the human body. One of the naturally occurring isotopes of potassium, potassium-40, is radioactive. Potassium-40 has a natural abundance of 0.0117% and a half-life t1/2 = 1.28 x 109 yr. It undergoes radioactive decay in three ways: 98.2% is by electron capture, 1.35% is by beta emission, and 0.49% is by positron emission. (a) Why should we expect 40K to be radioactive? (b) Write the nuclear equations for the three modes by which 40K decays? (c) How long does it take for 1.00% of the 40K in a sample to undergo radioactive decay?
Potassium ion is present in foods and is an essential nutrient in the human body. One of the naturally occurring isotopes of potassium, potassium-40, is radioactive. Potassium-40 has a natural abundance of 0.0117% and a half-life t1/2 = 1.28 x 109 yr. It undergoes radioactive decay in three ways: 98.2% is by electron capture, 1.35% is by beta emission, and 0.49% is by positron emission. (a) Why should we expect 40K to be radioactive? (b) Write the nuclear equations for the three modes by which 40K decays? (c) How long does it take for 1.00% of the 40K in a sample to undergo radioactive decay?
General Chemistry - Standalone book (MindTap Course List)
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Chapter20: Nuclear Chemistry
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 20.100QP
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- Potassium ion is present in foods and is an essential nutrient in the human body. One of the naturally occurring isotopes of potassium, potassium-40, is radioactive. Potassium-40 has a
natural abundance of 0.0117% and a half-life t1/2 = 1.28 x 109 yr. It undergoes radioactive decay in three ways: 98.2% is by electron capture, 1.35% is by beta emission, and 0.49% is by positron emission. - (a) Why should we expect 40K to be radioactive?
- (b) Write the
nuclear equations for the three modes by which 40K decays? - (c) How long does it take for 1.00% of the 40K in a sample to undergo radioactive decay?
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