CHAPTER 31 NUCLEAR PHYSICS

AND RADIOACTIVITY
PROBLEMS
_____________________________________________________________________________ _ 1. REASONING For an element whose chemical symbol is X, the symbol for the nucleus is A X where A represents the number of protons and neutrons (the nucleon number) and Z Z represents the number of protons (the atomic number) in the nucleus. SOLUTION a. The symbol
195 78

X indicates that the nucleus in question contains Z = 78 protons, and From the periodic table, we see that Z = 78

N = A Z = 195 78 = 117 neutrons . corresponds to platinum, Pt .

b. Similar reasoning indicates that the nucleus in question is sulfur, S , and the nucleus contains N = A Z = 32 16 = 16 neutrons . c. Similar reasoning indicates that the nucleus in question is copper, Cu , and the nucleus contains N = A Z = 63 29 = 34 neutrons . d. Similar reasoning indicates that the nucleus in question is contains N = A Z = 11 5 = 6 neutrons . e. Similar reasoning indicates that the nucleus in question is nucleus contains N = A Z = 239 94 = 145 neutrons .
____________________________________________________________________________________________

boron,

, and the nucleus

plutonium, Pu , and the

2!

REASONING a! "#e number of protons in a $i%en nucleus

A ZX

is specifie& b' its atomic number Z!

A X is e(ual to t#e nucleon number A )t#e b! "#e number N of neutrons in a $i%en nucleus Z number of protons an& neutrons* minus t#e atomic number Z )t#e number of protons*+ N , A Z )-(uation 31!1*!

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NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIOACTIVITY

c! .n an electricall' neutral niobium atom, t#e number of electrons in orbit about t#e nucleus is e(ual to t#e number of protons in t#e nucleus! SOLUTION a! "#e number of protons in t#e uranium b! "#e number N of neutrons in t#e
238 92 /

nucleus is Z , 92 !

202 80 1$

nucleus is N , A Z , 202 80 , 122 !

93 41 2b nucleus

c! "#e number of electrons t#at orbit t#e

in t#e neutral niobium atom is e(ual

to t#e number of protons in t#e nucleus, or 41 ! _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 4. REASONING AND SOLUTION Equation 31.2 gives for the radius of the nucleus
15 133 15 133

r = (1.2 10 m)A = (1.2 10 m)(48) = 4!4 10 15 m _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 5. REASONING AND SOLUTION The surface area of a sphere is 4rea = 4 r 2 .

according to Equation 31.2, the radius of a nucleus in meters is r = 1!2 10 m A 13 3 , where A is the nucleon number. With this expression for r, the surface area becomes
15

But

4rea = 4 1!2 10 15 m then,

hA
2

233

. The ratio of the largest to the smallest surface area is,

233 4 1!2 10 15 m Alar$est 5ar$est area 209 2 3 3 = = = 35!2 Smallest area 4 1!2 10 15 m 2 A 2 3 3 12 3 3 smallest

c c
212 84

h h
2

____________________________________________________________________________________________

17. REASONING AND SOLUTION a. The decay process looks like b. In this case
232 92

Po

208 82

Pb 6 4 1e . 2

228 90

"# 6 4 1e 2

_____________________________________________________________________________ _ 18. REASONING We can determine the identity of X in each of the decay processes by noting that for each process, the sum of A and Z for the decay products must equal the values of A and Z for the parent nuclei.

Chapter 31 Problems

247

SOLUTION a.

211 82

Pb 211 i6X 83

Using the reasoning discussed above, X must have A = 0 and Z = 1 . Therefore X must be an electron, b.
0 1

e;

X represents a particle )electron* .

11 6

C 11 6X 5

Similar reasoning suggests that X must have A = 0 and Z = +1 . Therefore X must be a positron; c.
0 61

e;

X represents a 6 particle )positron* .

231 90

"# 7 231 "# 6 X 90

Similar reasoning suggests that X must have A = 0 and Z = 0 . Therefore X must be a gamma ray; X represents a ra' . d.
210 84

Po 206 Pb 6 X 82

Using the reasoning discussed above, X must have A = 4 and Z = 2 . Therefore X must be 1e ; X represents an particle )#elium nucleus* . a helium nucleus, 4 2 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 19. REASONING AND SOLUTION a. The decay process looks like b. For the next reaction
212 82 14 6

C
212 83

14 7

2 6
0 1

0 1

Pb

i 6

_____________________________________________________________________________ _ 20. REASONING The reaction and the atomic masses are:
191 8s 1 4 76 2 4 3

191 .r 6 0 e 1 77 44 2 41 4 3

190!960 920 u

190!960 584 u

191 When the 191 76 8s nucleus is converted into an iridium 77 .r nucleus, the number of orbital electrons remains the same, so the resulting iridium atom is missing one orbital electron. However, the given mass includes all 77 electrons of a neutral iridium atom. In effect, then, the value of 190.960 584 u for 191 77 .r already includes the mass of the particle. Since

248

NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIOACTIVITY

energy is released during the decay, the combined mass of the iridium

191 77 .r

daughter

nucleus and the particle is less than the mass of the osmium 191 76 8s parent nucleus. The difference in mass is equivalent to the energy released. To obtain the energy released in MeV, we will use the fact that 1 u is equivalent to 931.5 MeV. SOLUTION The mass decrease that accompanies the decay is 190.960 920 u
4

190. 960 584 u = 3.36 10 is

u. Since 1 u is equivalent to 931.5 MeV, the energy released

931!5 9e: -ner$' release& = 3!36 104 u = 0!313 9e: 1u _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 21. REASONING AND SOLUTION The general form for decay is P 2
4 ;

Parent nucleus

<au$#ter nucleus

A < + +1 Z

particle )electron*

2e
0 1

Therefore, the decay process for

35 16

S is

35 16

35 17

Cl 6

0 1

e .

_____________________________________________________________________________ _ 29. REASONING AND SOLUTION Since one-eighth of the nuclei remain, three half-lives have elapsed. Therefore, T132 = (9.0 days)/3 = 3!0 &a's . _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 30. REASONING The half-life T1/2 is inversely related to the decay constant by the relation T13 2 = 0!693 3 (Equation 31.6). To convert from seconds to days, we use the fact that 3600 s = 1 h and 24 h = 1 day. SOLUTION The half-life of radium T13 2 = 0!693 = (
224 88 =a

is

0!693 = 3!66 &a's 6 1 ) 3600 s 24 # 2!19 10 s 1 # 1 &a' _____________________________________________________________________________ _

Chapter 31 Problems

249

32. REASONING AND SOLUTION According to Equation 31.5, the fraction of an initial sample remaining after a time t is N 3 N 0 = e t , where is the decay constant. The decay constant is related to the half-life T13 2 . According to Equation 31.6, the decay constant is = 0!693 3 T13 2 . Therefore, the fraction remaining is N 0!693 = e 0!693 t 3 T132 = e N0
30!0 &a's g 3b 8!04 &a's g b = 0!0753

This fraction corresponds to a percentage of 7!53 > . _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 35. REASONING We can find the decay constant from Equation 31.5, N = N 0 e t . If we multiply both sides by the decay constant , we have

N = N 0e t

or

A = A0 e t

where A0 is the initial activity and A is the activity after a time t. Once the decay constant is known, we can use the same expression to determine the activity after a total of six days. SOLUTION Solving the expression above for the decay constant , we have

1 ln t

FA I = 1 ln F 285 &isinte$rations 3 min I G J = 0!167 &a's G J A K 2 &a's 398 &isinte$rations 3 min K H H

0
1

Then the activity four days after the second day is A = ) 285 &isinte$rations 3 min* e )0!167 &a's
*) 4 ! 00 &a's*

= 146 &isinte$rations 3 min

_____________________________________________________________________________ _ 40. REASONING According to Equation 31.5, the number of nuclei remaining after a time t is N = N 0 e t . If we multiply both sides of this equation by the decay constant , we have

N = N 0 e t . Recognizing that N is the activity A, we have A = A0 e t , where A0 is the activity at time t = 0. A0 can be determined from the fact that we know the mass of the specimen, and that the activity of one gram of carbon in a living organism is 0.23 Bq. The C using decay constant can be determined from the value of 5730 yr for the half-life of 14 6 Equation 31.6. With known values for A0 and , the given activity of 1.6 Bq can be used to determine the age t of the specimen.

250

NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIOACTIVITY

SOLUTION For

14 6

C , the decay constant is

0!693 0!693 = = 1!21 10 4 'r 1 T13 2 5730 'r Since A = 1!6 ( and

The activity at time t = 0 is A0 = ) 9 !2 $*)0!23 ( 3 $* , 2!1 (! A0 = 2 !1 ( , the age of the specimen can be determined from A = 1!6 ( , )2!1 (* e )1!21 10 Taking the natural logarithm of both sides leads to ln
4

'r 1 * t

F 1!6 ( I G J = )1!21 10 2!1 ( K H

ln

'r 1 * t

Therefore, the age of the specimen is

= 2!2 10 3 'r 1!21 10 4 'r 1 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 42. REASONING AND SOLUTION a. According to Equations 31.5 and 31.6, the ratio N 3 N 0 is given by N 0!693 = e 0!693 t 3 T132 = e N0 b. Similarly, we find N 0!693 = e 0!693 t 3 T132 = e N0
5!00 'r h 3c 5730 'r h c = 0!999

t =

F 1!6 ( I G J 2!1 ( K H

3600 s h 3c 122!2 s h c = 1!36 10 9

Similarly, we find N 0!693 c 5!00 'r h 3c 12!33 'r h = e 0!693 t 3 T132 = e = 0!755 N0 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 43. REASONING AND SOLUTION The time during which radioactive decay occurred is t = 1988 yr 1200 yr = 788 yr. According to Equations 31.5 and 31.6, the ratio N 3 N 0 that corresponds to this time is given by

c.

Chapter 31 Problems

251

N 0 ! 693 = e 0 ! 693 t 3 T132 = e N0

788 'r h 3c 5730 'r h c = 0!909

C nuclei remaining, then, is 90!9> . The percentage of the original 14 6 _____________________________________________________________________________ _ 44! REASONING "#e number N of uranium atoms remainin$ after a time t is $i%en b' N = N 0 e t )-(uation 31!5*, ?#ere N0 is t#e ori$inal number of atoms an& is t#e &eca' constant! "#e &eca' constant is relate& to t#e #alf@life T132 of uranium b' , 0!6933T132 )-(uation 31!6*, so -(uation 31!5 can be eApresse& as relation to &etermine t#e a$e of t#e rocC! SOLUTION Dividing both sides of the relation
0!693 t T e 13 2 0!693 t T ! e 13 2

N = N0

Be ?ill use t#is

N = N0

by N0 and taking the

N 0!693 t natural logarithm, yields ln . Solving for t and noting that N/N0 = 0.600 = T 13 2 N0 give 9 T N ( 4!47 10 'r ) ( t = 13 2 ln = ln 0!600 ) = 3!29 109 'r 0!693 N 0 0!693 _____________________________________________________________________________ _