Atomic and Nuclear Physics Answers

(32_15P) is a beta-emitter with a decay constant of 5.6 x 10^-7 s^-1. 3.8g of (32_15P) is injected into a plant to serve as a tracer. Calculate the initial activity of the tracer.

Explain what is mearnt by the activity of a radioactive

When gamma rays are incident on matter, the intensity of the gamma rays passing through the material varies with depth x as I(x) = Ioe^(-ux) , where Io is the intensity of the radiation at the surface of the material (at x = 0) and u is the linear absorption coefficient. For 0.400 MeV gamma rays in lead, the linear absorption coefficient is 1.59cm^-1 .
(a) Determine the "half-thickness" for lead, that is, the thickness of lead that would absorb half the incident gamma rays.
(b) What thickness reduces the radiation by a factor of 10^4?

The following fission reaction is a typical of those occuring in a nuclear electric generating station.
(1_0n) + (235_92U) → (141_56Ba) + (92_36Kr) + 3(1_0n)
(a) find the energy in the reaction. The mass of neutron = 1.008665u, mass of Ba-141 = 140.914411u, mass of Kr-92 = 91.926156u and mass of U-235 = 235.043930u

Fission of one nucleus uranium-235 yields an average of approximately 200 MeV. What mass of uranium produces the energy of 3.30 x 10^10 J in fission?

What are the similarities and differences between fusion and fission?

What factors makes a terrestrial fusion reaction difficult to achieve?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of fission reactors from the point of view of safety, pollution and resources. Make a comparison with power generated from the burning of fossil fuels.

A wooden artifact is found in an ancient tomb. Its carbon-14 activity is measured to be 60% of that in a fresh sample of wood from the same region. Assuming the same amount of C-14 was initially present in the artifact as is now contained in the fresh sample, determine the age of the artifact.