When Daughter Activity Becomes Equal To Parent Activity

  • Thread starter Gwyddonderwyd
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Activity
In summary, the conversation is about a person seeking help with a transient equilibrium problem. They are having trouble solving it and are unsure if they are making a mistake with the order of operations. Another person suggests distributing a quantity, moving a term, and taking the natural log to solve the problem. The original poster thanks the person for their assistance and reveals that the correct answer is 26 minutes, but they are still struggling to solve it.
  • #1
Gwyddonderwyd
2
0
Hi. New here (Again). I'm having trouble with solving transient equilibrium problem



e-0.0495t= 0.0289 (e-0.0495t- e-0.0289t)
_____________
0.0289-0.0495

I know the answer but can't seem to make this work. Maybe I'm messing up my order of op.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Greetings,

I can't tell if that quantity below the problem is part of the divisor or just something extra, but distribute the quantity into the right side of the equation. Then move the term with the same exponent over to the left. Now you can take the natural log of both sides. Just needed some finessing.
 
  • #3
I'm sorry. The problem didn't display as typed. Ill try this way. Its:

e^-0.0495t=0.0289/0.0289-0.0495^(e-0.0495t - e-0.0289t)


Thank you Thetes for your assistance. The answer is 26 minutes but I cannot seem to solve and arrive at this value. What am I doing wrong?
 
Last edited:

1. What is meant by "When Daughter Activity Becomes Equal To Parent Activity"?

When Daughter Activity Becomes Equal To Parent Activity refers to a scientific concept known as radioactive decay. It occurs when the rate of decay of a radioactive element's daughter product becomes equal to the rate of decay of its parent element.

2. How does radioactive decay work?

Radioactive decay is a process where the unstable nucleus of a radioactive atom emits radiation in the form of particles or energy in order to become more stable. This can result in the formation of a new element, known as the daughter product.

3. What factors affect the rate of radioactive decay?

The rate of radioactive decay is affected by the type of radioactive element, the amount of the element present, and the surrounding environmental conditions. The half-life of an element (the time it takes for half of the sample to decay) is also a factor in the rate of decay.

4. Why is it important to understand when daughter activity becomes equal to parent activity?

Understanding when daughter activity becomes equal to parent activity is important in various scientific fields, such as geology, archaeology, and medicine. It allows us to accurately date objects, determine the age of rocks and fossils, and use radioactive substances for medical treatments.

5. Are there any potential dangers associated with radioactive decay?

Yes, there are potential dangers associated with radioactive decay, particularly if exposure to high levels of radiation occurs. This can lead to health problems such as cancer or genetic mutations. However, with proper safety precautions, the benefits of understanding radioactive decay far outweigh the risks.

Similar threads

  • Electrical Engineering
Replies
8
Views
979
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
793
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
17
Views
1K
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Atomic and Condensed Matter
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
780
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
2
Replies
54
Views
8K
  • High Energy, Nuclear, Particle Physics
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • Advanced Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • General Discussion
Replies
10
Views
778
Back
Top