Question

The half-life of polonium-239 is 24,300 years. If nuclear bomb released 8.00kg of this isotope,how many years would pass before the amount is reduced to 4.00kg?

Answer 1

Given data

*The half-life time of polonium-239 is T = 24,300 years

*The nuclear bomb released the isotope is N = 8 kg

*The reduced amount is N(t) = 4.00 kg

From the radioactive decay equation, it is given as

$N(t)=N(\frac{1}{2})^{\frac{t}{T}}$

Substitute the values in the above expression as

$\begin{gathered} 4.0=8(\frac{1}{2})^{\frac{t}{24300}} \\ t=24300 \end{gathered}$