Radioactive decay & dating Homework 02

Read through the information below, then for each of the 10 questions write the letter (A, B, C or D) and cop the correct statement into our e!ercise boo"#

Alpha deca
$ranium is radioactive, because it undergoes alpha decay it emits an alpha particle from its nucleus to make itself more stable.
parent atom
2 ! "2

daughter atom
2 $ "0

%h

&

$ 2

'

%his is a nuclear e(uation, and it shows that alpha decay of uranium produces an alpha particle, and also a new element called thorium )*%h+,. -otice that the nuclear e(uation balances ).ust like a chemical e(uation,. Alpha deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the left in the periodic table Radon gas also decays in this way, this time to produce polonium. -otice that we can also represent the alpha particle as a helium nucleus
parent atom
222 !/

daughter atom
20! !$

Rn

1o

&

$ 2

He

Beta deca
%horium undergoes beta decay it emits a beta particle from its nucleus and changes into an atom of protactinium . %he following nuclear e(uation also balances
parent atom
2 $ "0

daughter atom
2 $ "0

%h

1a

&

20

Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found 1 space to the right in the periodic table 4ead also decays in this way, this time to produce bismuth. -otice that we can also represent the beta particle as an electron
parent atom
20$ !2

daughter atom
20$ !

1b

5i

&

20

&amma deca
6ometimes, alpha decay and beta decay produce a nucleus in an 'e!cited state(. %his is a nucleus that has too much energy. %his energy is lost by emitting a burst of gamma radiation.
202

)alf*life
7 8eiger counter will measure the count rate from a radioactive source, and this enables us to plot a line graph of *count rate+ against *time+. %he graph has a characteristic shape, from which we can take measurements of the half2life of the substance )alf*life + time it ta"es for , of the radioacti-e substance to deca 7fter 2 half2lives have occurred, only 9 of the substance will remain:
/ercentage of radioacti-e element remaining
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0
st

Radioacti-e deca *cur-e showing half*life

4
nd

8
rd

10

12

14

16

18

20

.ime (seconds)

1 half*life

% half*life

0 half*life

It is important to notice that over the 1st half-life of 4 seconds the percentage of undecayed nuclei falls by (100 50) Over the ne t half-life the percentage of undecayed nuclei falls by again (50 !5) and the length of this half-life is the same as the previously half-life" 4 seconds Over the third half-life the percentage of undecayed nuclei falls by yet again )2; 02<,, this also ta#es 4 seconds All the half-lives of this particular isotope will last 4 seconds

222

%02 3%

Dating the 1arth

=hen #22 ! decays, it produces a series of different elements that eventually result in the stable isotope, 1b220/ solid arrows > alpha decays dotted arrows > beta decays

%04 30

.h

%04 31

/a

=e know that virtually all of the lead on our planet used to be a radioisotope of uranium %oday, there is roughly the same amount of #22 ! and 1b220/ on our planet 5y far the longest half2life in the series of decays is the half2life for #22 ! to form %h22 $ )the first step, $.; billion years ?ur @arth must have been through one < life of #22 !, if half of the original amount of uranium has decayed %he @arth is roughly $.; billion years old.

%04 3%

%00 30

.h

%%5 22

Ra

%%% 25

Rn

Dating igneous roc"s

Agneous rock often contains a radioisotope of potassium )B2$0,, which undergoes beta decay to form gaseous argon )7r2$0,. =e know that B2$0 has a half2life of 0. 00" years, and so if we can find the relative amounts of B2$0 and 7r2$0 in a rock, we can say how old it is. eg. Af a rock contains e(ual amounts of B2$0 and 7r2$0, then half of the potassium must have decayed, and the rock must be 0. 00" years old.
%12 24

/o

%14 2%

/b

%14 20

Bi

Carbon dating
Carbon dioDide molecules in the air mainly contain carbon202, but some contain the radioisotope, carbon20$. %he proportion of C20$ has stayed the same, because it is made )when cosmic rays bombard nitrogen20$, at the same rate at which it decays. 5oth of these isotopes become part of plants and animals, as a result of photosynthesis the C20$ then decays inside the plant or animal )but no C20$ is formed inside them,. =e can find the age of material that was once living by comparing the amounts of C202 and C20$ within it, with the amounts of C202 and C20$ in the atmosphere. )%he half2life of C20$ is ; E 0 years,.
2 2

%14 24

/o

%10 2%

/b

%10 20

Bi

%10 24

/o

%05 2%

/b

61 A 7 Alpha deca of uranium produces an alpha particle, and also a new %0% element called thorium 8 %023%$ 9 4%: 23.h B 7 Radon gas also deca s b alpha emission, to produce polonium 8 %%% %15 9 0%) 25Rn 24/o C 7 Alpha deca of uranium produces an alpha particle, and also a new %04 element called thorium 8 %023%$ 9 41: 31.h Radon gas also deca s b alpha emission, this time to produce polonium %%% %%% 9 0 *1< 25Rn 2;/o D 7 Alpha deca of uranium produces an alpha particle, and also a new %04 element called thorium 8 %023%$ 9 4%: 30.h Radon gas also deca s in this wa , this time to produce polonium 8 %%% %12 9 4%)e 25Rn 24/o 6% A 7 Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the left in the periodic table# A parent atom deca s to form a daughter atom B 7 Alpha deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the left in the periodic table# A daughter atom deca s to form a parent atom C 7 Alpha deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the left in the periodic table# A parent atom deca s to form a daughter atom D 7 Alpha deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found 1 space to the left in the periodic table# A parent atom deca s to form a daughter atom 60 A 7 .horium undergoes beta deca when it emits a beta particle from its %00 0 nucleus %0430.h 9 31/a *1< =ead also deca s in this wa , this time to produce bismuth %14 %14 9 1*1e 2%/b 20Bi B 7 .horium undergoes beta deca when it emits a beta particle from its %04 0 nucleus %0430.h 9 31/a *1< =ead also deca s in this wa , this time to produce bismuth %14 %14 9 0*1e 2%/b 20Bi C 7 .horium undergoes beta deca when it emits a beta particle from its %0> 0 nucleus %0430.h 9 31/a *1: D 7 =ead deca s b beta emission, to produce bismuth %14 %15 9 0*1e 2%/b 20Bi 64 A F Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the right in the periodic table B 7 Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found 1 space to the right in the periodic table C 7 Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found 1 space to the left in the periodic table D 7 Beta deca alwa s produces a new element, which is found % spaces to the left in the periodic table 6> A 7 ?ometimes, alpha deca and beta deca produce a nucleus in an 'e!cited state(, which needs to lose energ b emitting infrared radiation B 7 ?ometimes, alpha deca and gamma deca produce a nucleus in an 'e!cited state(, which needs to lose energ b emitting beta radiation C 7 ?ometimes, alpha deca and beta deca produce electrons in an 'e!cited state(# .hese need to lose energ b emitting gamma radiation D 7 ?ometimes, alpha deca and beta deca produce a nucleus in an 'e!cited state(, which needs to lose energ b emitting a burst of gamma radiation

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65 A 7 A &eiger counter will estimate the count rate from a radioacti-e source, and this enables us to plot a line graph of 'count rate( against 'time( B 7 A &eiger counter will measure the count rate from a radioacti-e source, and this enables us to plot a line graph of 'count rate( against 'time(# .he half*life of a substance is the time it ta"es for , of it to deca C 7 .he half*life of a substance is half the time it ta"es for it to deca D 7 .he half*life of a substance is a quarter of the time it ta"es for it to deca 6; A 7 @irtuall all of the lead on our planet used to be a radioisotope of uranium# .oda , there is roughl the same amount of $*%02 and /b*%05 on our planet B 7 @irtuall all of the uranium on our planet used to be a radioisotope of lead C 7 .oda , there is roughl half the amount of $*%02, as there is /b*%05 on our planet D 7 .oda , there is roughl twice the amount of $*%02, as there is /b*%05 on our planet 62 A 7 Aur 1arth must ha-e been through two , li-es of $*%02, if half of the original amount of uranium has deca ed B 7 Aur 1arth must ha-e been through , a life of $*%02, if half of the original amount of uranium has deca ed C 7 Aur 1arth must ha-e been through one , life of $*%02, if half of the original amount of uranium has deca ed# .his means that the 1arth is roughl 4#> million ears old D 7 Aur 1arth must ha-e been through one , life of $*%02, if half of the original amount of uranium has deca ed# .his means that the 1arth is roughl 4#> billion ears old 63 A 7 Bgneous roc" often contains a radioisotope of potassium (/*40), which $ndergoes beta deca to form gaseous argon (Ar*40) B 7 Bgneous roc" often contains a radioisotope of potassium (C*40), which $ndergoes beta deca to form gaseous argon (Ar*40)# Bf we can find the relati-e amounts of C*40 and Ar*40 in a roc", we can sa how old it is C 7 Bgneous roc" often contains a radioisotope of potassium (C*40), which undergoes alpha deca to form gaseous argon (Ar*40)# Bf we can find the relati-e amounts of C*40 and Ar*40 in a roc", we can sa how old it is D 7 Bgneous roc" often contains a radioisotope of potassium (C*40), which undergoes alpha deca to form gaseous neon (De*40) 610 A 7 Ee can find the age of animals b comparing the amounts of C*1% and C*14 the contain, with the amounts of C*1% and C*14 in the atmosphere B 7 Ee can find the age of material which was once li-ing b comparing the amounts of C*1% and C*10 it contains, with the amounts of C*1% and C*10 in the atmosphere# (.he , life of C*14 is > ;00 ears) C 7 Ee can find the age of material which was once li-ing b comparing the amounts of C*1% and C*14 it contains, with the amounts of C*1% and C*14 in the atmosphere# (.he , life of C*14 is > ;00 ears) D 7 Ee can find the age of material which was once li-ing b comparing the amounts of C*1% and C*14 it contains, with the amounts of C*1% and C*14 in the atmosphere# (.he , life of C*14 is > 0;0 ears)

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