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Example 2: On April 26, 1986, reactor 4 of the Chernobyl
Nuclear Power Plant exploded. The explosion released
massive amounts of radiation into the air, particularly
Strontium-90 and Cesium-137. Both of these isotopes have
half-lives of about 30 years. If 5000kg were released inside
the reactor, and only half a kilogram is safe to be around,
when will it be safe for human beings to enter the reactor?



Answer :

GinnyAnswer

Final answer:

The answer explains the reduction of radioactive contamination over time based on half-life and total atoms released.


Explanation:

Answer:

Half-life is the time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay. For Strontium-90 with a half-life of 28 years, it will take approximately 196 years for the contamination to be reduced to one tenth of its original level.

Regarding when not a single atom will be left: If a total of 10^27 atoms was released, after about 420 years, not a single atom of Strontium-90 would remain.


Learn more about radioactive contamination here:

https://brainly.com/question/42046475


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