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- The overall hydrogen burning reaction in stars can be represented as the conversion of four protons to one alpha particle. Use the data for the mass of H-1 and He-4 to calculate the energy released by this process.
Problem 9
Problem 31a
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. a. U-234 (alpha) b. Th-230 (alpha)
Problem 31c
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. c. Pb-214 (beta)
Problem 31d
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. d. N-13 (positron emission)
Problem 31e
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. e. Cr-51 (electron capture)
Problem 32b
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. a. Po-210 (alpha) b. Ac-227 (beta)
Problem 32c
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide.
c. Tl-207 (beta)
Problem 32d
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide.
d. O-15 (positron emission)
Problem 32e
Write a nuclear equation for the indicated decay of each nuclide. e. Pd-103 (electron capture)
Problem 33
Write a partial decay series for Th-232 undergoing the sequential decays: a, b, b, a.
Problem 34
Write a partial decay series for Rn-220 undergoing the sequential decays: a, a, b, b.
Problem 35c
Fill in the missing particles in each nuclear equation.
a. ____ → 21785At + 42He
b. 24194Pu → 24195Am + ____
c. 1911Ne → 1910Ne + ____
d. 7534Se + _____ → 7533As
Problem 36a
Fill in the missing particles in each nuclear equation. a. 24195Am → 23793Np + ____
Problem 36b
Fill in the missing particles in each nuclear equation. b. _____ → 23392U + 0-1e
Problem 36c
Fill in the missing particles in each nuclear equation. c. 23793Np → _____ + 42He
Problem 36d
Fill in the missing particles in each nuclear equation. d. 7535Br → ____ + 0+1e
Problem 37c
Determine whether or not each nuclide is likely to be stable. State your reasons. c. Ag-98
Problem 37d
Determine whether or not each nuclide is likely to be stable. State your reasons. d. Sn-134
Problem 39
The first six elements of the first transition series have the following number of stable isotopes:
Element Number of Stable Isotopes
Sc 1
Ti 5
V 1
Cr 3
Mn 1
Fe 4
Explain why Sc, V, and Mn each have only one stable isotope while the other elements have several.
Problem 41a
Predict a likely mode of decay for each unstable nuclide. a. Ca-35
Problem 41b
Predict a likely mode of decay for each unstable nuclide. b. Al-34
Problem 42a
Predict a likely mode of decay for each unstable nuclide. a. C-16
Problem 42c
Predict a likely mode of decay for each unstable nuclide. c. In-132
Problem 44a
Which nuclide in each pair would you expect to have the longer half-life? a. Cs-149 or Cs-139 b. Fe-45 or Fe-52
Problem 47
One of the nuclides in spent nuclear fuel is U-235, an alpha emitter with a half-life of 703 million years. How long will it take for the amount of U-235 to reach 10.0% of its initial amount?
Problem 48
A patient is given 0.050 mg of technetium-99m, a radioactive isotope with a half-life of about 6.0 hours. How long does it take for the radioactive isotope to decay to 1.0⨉10-3 mg? (Assume no excretion of the nuclide from the body.)
Problem 49
A radioactive sample contains 2.35 g of an isotope with a halflife of 3.8 days. What mass of the isotope remains after 7.0 days?
Problem 51
A sample of F-18 has an initial decay rate of 1.5⨉105/s. How long will it take for the decay rate to fall to 2.5⨉103/s? (F-18 has a half-life of 1.83 hours.)
- A wooden boat discovered just south of the Great Pyramid in Egypt has a carbon-14 to carbon-12 ratio that is 72.5% of that found in living organisms. How old is the boat?
Problem 53
- A layer of peat beneath the glacial sediments of the last ice age has a carbon-14 to carbon-12 ratio that is 22.8% of that found in living organisms. How long ago was this ice age?
Problem 54