It is estimated that the Chernobyl disaster released 6.0 MCi (activity of 2.22 x 1017 s-1) of 137Cs into the environment. The half-life of 137Cs is 30.2 years. (a) Calculate the decay time of 137Cs. (b) Calculate the number of nuclei N released. (c) Calculate the mass of 137Cs released. (d) What is the activity of the Cs after 20 days?
a) decay time :
mean life of Cs=1/decay constant =half life/ln(2)
T=30.2/ln(2)
T=30.2/0.693
T=43.57 years
b) decay constant = ln(2)/ half life
Activity= decay constant*Number of nuclei
N=(2.22*10^17*30.2*365*24*3600)/0.693
N=3.050937350*10^26 nuclei
c) mass of Cs released = number of nuclei released* mass of one nuclei
M=3.050937350*10^26*137
M=4.18*10^37 amu
d) activity after 20 days:
A=decay constant * exp(-decay constant*t)
A=(0.693/30.2)*exp(-(0.693*20)/(30.2*365))
A=0.02294/exp(0.00125)
A=1.045697 year^-1
A=329.77 sec^-1
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