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Science

eppur_se_muova

(36,261 posts)

9. 124 grams of Xe-124 contains 6E23 atoms ...

Reply to cstanleytech (Reply #8)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 12:09 PM

Apr 2019

So in one year, i.e. about 1 / 10^22 half-life, you should expect several dozen atoms to decay. If your detectors are very sensitive and heavily shielded, you can pick up each of these decays as an individual event.

Ain't technology wonderful ?

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Highlight:

Dark Matter Hunter Captures The 'Rarest Thing Ever Recorded' In A Process 1 Trillion Times Longer Th [View all] Judi Lynn Apr 2019 OP

Wow. Just wow. K&R. nt tblue37 Apr 2019 #1

Rensselaer an awesome school 3sam3 Apr 2019 #2

No football team,... I bet they have a killer chess club. magicarpet Apr 2019 #3

Fuck. That ain't nuthin. Ya wanna see slow? 3Hotdogs Apr 2019 #4

Wow! lastlib Apr 2019 #5

Is this rarer than tRumpolini complying with a subpoena? lastlib Apr 2019 #6

Interesting -- this is a double electron-capture decay. eppur_se_muova Apr 2019 #7

If it takes that long to decay how could they observe it at all given the current age cstanleytech Apr 2019 #8

124 grams of Xe-124 contains 6E23 atoms ... eppur_se_muova Apr 2019 #9

Still not getting it, sorry. cstanleytech Apr 2019 #10

OK. There are LOTS and LOTS of atoms ... ;) eppur_se_muova Apr 2019 #11

No, I mean if they say it takes a long time to decay why are they even seeing cstanleytech Apr 2019 #12

The actual time for any atom to decay is random; *averaging* these times gives you the half life. eppur_se_muova Apr 2019 #13

Oh, ok I think I get it now.........barely of course :) cstanleytech Apr 2019 #14