Corals take up certain elements from seawater, including uranium but not thorium. After the corals die, the uranium isotopes slowly decay into thorium isotopes. A measurement of the relative fraction of certain isotopes therefore provides a determination of the coral’s age. A complicating factor is that the thorium isotopes decay as well. One scheme uses the alpha decay of 234U to 230Th. After a long time, the two species reach an equilibrium in which the number of 234U decays per second (each producing an atom of 230Th) is exactly equal to the number of 230Th decays per second. What is the relative concentration of the two isotopes—the ratio of 234U to 230Th— when this equilibrium is reached?
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.
Corals take up certain elements from seawater, including uranium but not thorium. After the corals die, the uranium isotopes slowly decay into thorium isotopes. A measurement of the relative fraction of certain isotopes therefore provides a determination of the coral’s age. A complicating factor is that the thorium isotopes decay as well. One scheme uses the alpha decay of 234U to 230Th. After a long time, the two species reach an equilibrium in which the number of 234U decays per second (each producing an atom of 230Th) is exactly equal to the number of 230Th decays per second. What is the relative concentration of the two isotopes—the ratio of 234U to 230Th— when this equilibrium is reached?
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps
