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Chapter 31: Q2CQ (page 1147)

What is the difference betweenγrays and characteristic x rays? Is either necessarily more energetic than the other? Which can be the most energetic?

Short Answer

Expert verified

γ rays are more energetic than x-rays

Step by step solution

01

significance of γ ray

An electromagnetic energy (photon) packet known as a gamma rayγis released by the nucleus of some radio nuclides after radioactive decay. The electromagnetic spectrum's most energetic photons are known as gamma photons.

02

Step 1: Difference between γ rays and x- rays

γ Rays produced due to de excitation of the nucleus. The transition occurs at nuclear energy level while X-ray are produced due to de excitation of an atom. The transition occurs at atomic energy level..The wavelength of gamma rays is smaller than the wavelength of x-ray.so the energy of gamma ray is more than energy of x-ray. As we know energy is inversely proportional to the wavelength.

Therefore, γ rays are more energetic than x-rays.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A tree falls in a forest. How many years must pass before the 14C activity in 1.00 g of the tree’s carbon drops to 1.00 decay per hour?

(a) Calculate the radius of\(^{{\rm{58}}}{\rm{Ni}}\), one of the most tightly bound stable nuclei. (b) What is the ratio of the radius of\(^{{\rm{58}}}{\rm{Ni}}\)to that of\(^{{\rm{258}}}{\rm{Ha}}\), one of the largest nuclei ever made? Note that the radius of the largest nucleus is still much smaller than the size of an atom.

An old campfire is uncovered during an archaeological dig. Its charcoal is found to contain less than \(1/1000\) the normal amount of \({}^{{\rm{14}}}{\rm{C}}\). Estimate the minimum age of the charcoal, noting that \({2^{10}} = 1024\).

(a) Repeat Exercise \({\rm{31}}{\rm{.2}}\), and convert the energy to joules or calories. (b) If all of this energy is converted to thermal energy in the gas, what is its temperature increase, assuming \(50.0\,{\rm{c}}{{\rm{m}}^{\rm{3}}}\) of ideal gas at \({\rm{0}}{\rm{.250 - }}\)atm pressure? (The small answer is consistent with the fact that the energy is large on a quantum mechanical scale but small on a macroscopic scale.)

: βdecay producing137Ba. The parent nuclide is a major waste product of reactors and has chemistry similar to potassium and sodium, resulting in its concentration in your cells if ingested.
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