What is the equation for alpha decay of polonium-210?
Polonium-210, 210Po, decays to lead-206, 206Pb, by alpha emission according to the equation 84Po210 → 82Pb206 + 2He4 If the half-life, t1/2, of 210Po is 138.4 days, calculate the mass of 206Pb produced from a 574.0 mg sample of Polonium(IV) chloride, PoCl4, that is left untouched for 333.5 days.
Does PO 210 undergo alpha decay?
Po-210 decays to stable lead-206 by emitting alpha particles, accompanied by very low intensity gamma rays. The majority of the time Po-210 decays by emission of alpha particles only, not by emission of an alpha particle and a gamma ray. Only about one in a 100,000 decays results in the emission of a gamma ray.
What happens during the alpha decay of polonium?
Alpha decay, type of radioactive disintegration in which some unstable atomic nuclei dissipate excess energy by spontaneously ejecting an alpha particle. Thus polonium-210 (mass number 210 and atomic number 84, i.e., a nucleus with 84 protons) decays by alpha emission to lead-206 (atomic number 82).
How many grams of polonium-210 is lethal?
The danger comes when it emits radiation. Toxicologists estimate that one gram of polonium-210 could be enough to: kill 50 million people.
What is PO-210 used for?
What is polonium-210 normally used for? It is used to eliminate static electricity in some industrial processes and as a power supply in nuclear weapons production, and in the oil industry. Russian lunar landers used it to keep the craft’s instruments warm at night.
What can alpha decay penetrate?
Alpha particles, because they are highly ionising, are unable to penetrate very far through matter and are brought to rest by a few centimetres of air or less than a tenth of a millimetre of biological tissue (Figure 2).
Can you survive polonium poisoning?
At high doses, this can lead to confusion, convulsion, and coma within minutes of the poisoning. Finally, the person will either die or recover. If they do not recover, they will die within weeks or months. Anyone who survives may take months to recover.
What is the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of po210?
The nuclear equation that describes the alpha decay of Polonium-210 can be written like this: Po-210 has 84 protons and 126 neutrons in its nucleus. During alpha decay, an α-particle, which is essentially a Helium-4 nucleus, is emitted by the nucleus.
What is the half life of polonium 210?
not present Isotope H Half-Life S Specific Activity (TBq/g) D Decay Mode A Alpha (α) Energy (MeV) P Polonium-208 2 2.9 yr 2 21.8 α 5 5.1 P Polonium-209 1 103 yr 0 0.63 α 4 4.9 P Polonium-210 1 138 days 1 166 α 5 5.3
How many protons are in the nucleus of Po-210?
Po-210 has 84 protons and 126 neutrons in its nucleus. During alpha decay, an #alpha”-particle”#, which is essentially a Helium-4 nucleus, is emitted by the nucleus.
Where does polonium 210 occur in the earths crust?
Polonium-210 (Po-210) is a radioactive material that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust at very low levels. Po-210 is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium-238, which decays to radon-222 and then to polonium.