Why is it impossible for the mass of radioactive particles to ...

[colton]

Why is it impossible for the mass of radioactive particles to decrease by half in radioactive decay after a half-life? Explain.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Repeat the problem posed in Problem 39, but compare to nuclear generation of electricity.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[Alyson.hiatt@yahoo.com]

Answer to Question 1

Only in spontaneous fission are the decay products' masses comparable to half
the mass. In all other cases, the mass of the particle released is much smaller than the mass
of the releasing nucleus. The decrease of mass is independent of any time, such as half-life.
The reason some people believe this to be the case is confusion about the meaning of half
life, the time required for half of a given sample of identical nuclei to decay.

Answer to Question 2

According to Fig. 8.15, nuclear steam generation costs about 265/kW and
0.0240/kWh and a turbine's capital cost is still 28/kW. Again, the time at which the costs
are the same is called T. Then we equate the costs for the time T:
265/kW + 0.0240/kWh x T = 28/kW + 0.11/kWh x T.
This is solved by gathering terms, and so
265/kW - 28/kW = 0.11/kWh x T - 0.0240/kWh x T.
or, 237/kW = 0.0860/kWh x T, or
T = 237/kW/(0.0860/kWh) = 2756 h.