suppose you find a rock that contains some uranium-235 and lead-207. uranium-235 atoms decay into lead-207 atoms with a half-life of 700 million years. you determine that there are 0.125 milligrams of uranium-235 in the rock and 0.875 milligrams of lead-207. how old is the rock?



Answer :

1.4 billion years 0.125 milligrams of uranium-235 in the rock and 0.875 milligrams of lead-207.

With a relative abundance of 99%, uranium-238 (238U or U-238) is the most prevalent isotope of uranium to be discovered in nature. It is non-fissile, unlike uranium-235, hence it cannot support a chain reaction in a thermal-neutron reactor. It can, however, be converted into fissile plutonium-239 since it is fertile and rapid neutron fissionable. Because inelastic scattering lowers neutron energy below the range where fast fission of one or more next-generation nuclei is likely, 238U cannot maintain a chain reaction.

Lead does not naturally decompose into lighter elements since it is not radioactive. Lead-heavy radioactive elements go through a succession of decays, going from one heavier element to a lighter or more stable one at each stage. However, the process is stopped when the element turns into lead.

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