Published by:
CGP EDU Academic Team
Published on: September 13, 2026
Radium being a member of the uranium series occurs in uranium ores. If the half lives of uranium and radium are respectively
and 1620 years calculate the
in Uranium ore at equilibrium.
Text Solution
Verified by ExpertsThe correct answer is:
A
Step 1: Identify the half-lives given:
Half-life of Uranium (U) = 4.5 \times 10^9 years
Half-life of Radium (Ra) = 1620 years
Step 2: Use the formula for the ratio of the activities of the parent and daughter isotopes at equilibrium:
\[ \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} = \frac{\lambda_{U}}{\lambda_{Ra}} \] where \( \lambda = \frac{\ln(2)}{half-life} \).
\[ \lambda_{U} = \frac{\ln(2)}{4.5 \times 10^9} \] and \[ \lambda_{Ra} = \frac{\ln(2)}{1620} \].
Step 3: Calculate \( \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} \):
\[ \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} = \frac{\frac{\ln(2)}{4.5 \times 10^9}}{\frac{\ln(2)}{1620}} = \frac{1620}{4.5 \times 10^9} \approx 3.6 \times 10^{-7}.
Therefore, the ratio of the amount of Radium to Uranium in Uranium ore at equilibrium is approximately 3.6 \times 10^{-7}.
Hence the answer is A.
Half-life of Uranium (U) = 4.5 \times 10^9 years
Half-life of Radium (Ra) = 1620 years
Step 2: Use the formula for the ratio of the activities of the parent and daughter isotopes at equilibrium:
\[ \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} = \frac{\lambda_{U}}{\lambda_{Ra}} \] where \( \lambda = \frac{\ln(2)}{half-life} \).
\[ \lambda_{U} = \frac{\ln(2)}{4.5 \times 10^9} \] and \[ \lambda_{Ra} = \frac{\ln(2)}{1620} \].
Step 3: Calculate \( \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} \):
\[ \frac{N_{Ra}}{N_{U}} = \frac{\frac{\ln(2)}{4.5 \times 10^9}}{\frac{\ln(2)}{1620}} = \frac{1620}{4.5 \times 10^9} \approx 3.6 \times 10^{-7}.
Therefore, the ratio of the amount of Radium to Uranium in Uranium ore at equilibrium is approximately 3.6 \times 10^{-7}.
Hence the answer is A.
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