Nuclear Physics sheet 2 Fall 2023

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Natural Radioactivity

1) The radioactive isotope 𝐴𝑢198 has a half-life of 64.8 h. A sample containing

this isotope has an initial activity (t = 0) of 40.0 𝜇𝐶𝑖. Calculate the number of
nuclei that decay in the time interval between 𝑡1 = 10 h and 𝑡2 = 12 h.

2) The half-life of radon is 3.82 days. What fraction of a freshly separated sample
of this nuclide will disintegrate in one day? If the sample contains, initially,
one microgram of radon, how many atoms will disintegrate during the first
day?

3) Consider a radioactive series whose first two members have half-lives of 5

hours and 12 hours, respectively, while the third member is stable. Assuming
that there are initially 106 atoms of the first member and none of the second
and the third members. Calculate as functions of time, the number of atoms
of the three kinds. After how many hours will the number of atoms of the
second member reach its maximum value?

4) In an accident with a nuclear reactor, 𝑇𝑒 131 , a radioactive fission product of

uranium, escapes to the atmosphere. When will the activity of the daughter
product 𝐼131 reach its maximum value and what is the iodine activity in terms
of the initial activity of the escaping 𝑇𝑒 131 . Half-lives of 𝑇𝑒 131 , 𝐼131 are 1.25
and 8.0 days respectively.