Chapter 24: Q24.46 P (page 1104)

Plutonium- $239$ $(t_{1/2} {=2.41×10}^{4} yr)$ represents a serious nuclear waste hazard. If seven half-lives are required to reach a tolerable level of radioactivity, how long must $^{239} Pu$ be stored?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The amount of time that plutonium- $239$ needs to be stored is_{${1.687×10}^{5} years$}

Step by step solution

Half-life

The half-life of a radioactive substance indicates the time taken by it to reach the half of its amount. The radioactive decay follows the first order kinetics.

Calculation

- Half-life of plutonium- $239$ is $t_{1/2} {=2.41×10}^{4} yr$

- In order to reach a tolerable level of radioactivity, 7 half-lives are required.

Therefore, the amount of time that plutonium- needs to be stored is

_{$\begin{matrix} {Time=t}_{1/2} ×7 \\ {=2.41×10}^{4} yr×7 \\ {=1.687×10}^{5} yr \end{matrix}$}

Hence, the amount of time that plutonium $239$ - needs to be stored is ${1.687×10}^{5} years$

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Plutonium- $239$ $(t_{1/2} {=2.41×10}^{4} yr)$ represents a serious nuclear waste hazard. If seven half-lives are required to reach a tolerable level of radioactivity, how long must $^{239} Pu$ be stored?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Half-life

Calculation

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Plutonium-239 (t1/2=2.41×104yr)represents a serious nuclear waste hazard. If seven half-lives are required to reach a tolerable level of radioactivity, how long must 239Pube stored?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Half-life

Calculation

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Analysis

Nuclear Chemistry

Kinetics

Inorganic Chemistry

Chemistry Branches

Chemical Reactions

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Plutonium- $239$ $(t_{1/2} {=2.41×10}^{4} yr)$ represents a serious nuclear waste hazard. If seven half-lives are required to reach a tolerable level of radioactivity, how long must $^{239} Pu$ be stored?