Answered: FIGURE 30.16 235U decay series. Alpha…

College Physics

11th Edition

ISBN:9781305952300

Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille

Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille

Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1CQ: Estimate the order of magnitude of the length, in meters, of each of the following; (a) a mouse, (b)...

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²³⁵U decays to ²⁰⁷Pb via the decay series as shown. The first decay in the chain, that of ²³⁵U, has a halflife of 7.0 × 10⁸ years. The subsequent decays are much more rapid, so we can take this as the half-life for the complete decay of ²³⁵U to ²⁰⁷Pb. Certain minerals exclude lead but not uranium from their crystal structure, so when the minerals form they have no lead, only uranium. As time goes on, the uranium decays to lead, so measuring the ratio of lead atoms to uranium atoms allows investigators to determine the ages of the minerals. If a sample of a mineral contains 3 atoms of ²⁰⁷Pb for every 1 atom of ²³⁵U, how many years ago was it formed?

FIGURE 30.16 235U decay series.
Alpha decay reduces A by 4 and Z by 2.
+ Beta decay increases Z by 1.
239
235U
235
231
Some nuclei can
undergo either
a or B decay.
227
223
219
215
211
207 -
207 Pb is stable.
203
80 82 84 86 88 90 92
Atomic number, Z
Mass number, A

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