NEM325

HW3
Due Date: November 11, 2019

1. The isotope 𝑁𝑎24 (𝑇1/2 = 15.0 ℎ𝑟) can be produced by bombarding a 𝑁𝑎23 target with
deuterons. The reaction is
𝑁𝑎23 + 𝐻 2 → 𝑁𝑎24 + 𝐻1
If the yield of 𝑁𝑎24 , i.e., the number of 𝑁𝑎24 atoms produced per second multiplied by
the decay constant, is 100 𝜇𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠/ℎ𝑟, (a) what is the activity of the 𝑁𝑎24 after a 5 hr
bombardment? (b) If the bombardment is ceased after 5 hr, what is the activity 10 hr
later? (c) What is the maximum possible activity (the saturation activity) of 𝑁𝑎24 in the
target?

2. Compute the minimum intensity of a beam of 0.025 eV neutrons required to produce

10 𝜇𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 of 𝐴𝑙 28 (𝑇1/2 = 2.3 𝑚𝑖𝑛) in an aluminum target (100% 𝐴𝑙 27 ) having an area
of 1 𝑐𝑚2 and a thickness of 0.1 cm.

3. A 1-MeV neutron is elastically scattered from 𝐵𝑒 9 . (a) Find the maximum energy loss of
the neutron after scattering. (b) If the angle of scattering of the neutron in the center-of-
mass system is 45𝑜 , find the recoil energy of the target nucleus in the laboratory system.

4. A small training reactor is operated an average of two hours every day for two years at a
power of 1000 Watts and is then shut down. What is the activity of the fuel one year after
shutdown?