Concept explainers
What are the half-lives of uranium-238, potassium-40 and carbon-14?
The half-lives of uranium-238, potassium-40 and Carbon-14.
Answer to Problem 6RQ
The half-life of uranium-238 is
Explanation of Solution
The nucleus of the radioactive elements is not stable. They have the tendency to release alfa and beta particles and try to come in a stable position. During decay, radioactive elements release a huge amount of energy, which can also be used for power generation.
Old rocks can contain some of the radioactive elements like uranium-238, potassium-40, and Carbon-14. Out of these, Carbon-14 has the least value of half-life.
The half-life of uranium-238 is
Conclusion:
Therefore, the half-life of uranium-238 is
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