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idea2000
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- How to calculate half life
How did they calculate the half life of xenon 124 to be longer than the age of the universe if they only observed one decay? Is there some way to estimate half life?
They use natural xenon, 2 tonnes of it, with an abundance of 1 kg 124Xe per tonne.fresh_42 said:I understand this principle. What makes me wonder is, that they get enough isotopes, especially if they are created synthetically.
idea2000 said:if they only observed one decay
fresh_42 said:that they get enough isotopes, especially if they are created synthetically.
There is only one isotope of relevance, 124-Xe. The issue is getting enough nuclei of that isotope.fresh_42 said:get enough isotopes
For the future, you should remember to include a reference to the original paper when you have a particular issue that you want to discuss. In this case, the appropriate reference would have been the Nature paper.idea2000 said:Yes, however, the half life of xenon 124 is 1 trillion times the current age of our universe and was just reported to be observed yesterday for the very first time, ever. How did they calculate the half life based on one observation?
I had encountered another element recently with an equally absurd half time and it wasn't natural, or extremely rare. Unfortunately I have forgotten which one. I only remember that I asked myself the same question, and a high number of isotopes didn't seem to provide a solution. The only other possibility was an extremely long observation time, but it made me wonder, whether there are other methods, maybe theoretical calculations.Orodruin said:There is only one isotope of relevance, 124-Xe. The issue is getting enough nuclei of that isotope.
The half-life of Xenon 124 is calculated using a mathematical equation known as the decay constant. This equation takes into account the number of unstable atoms present in a sample of Xenon 124 and the rate at which they decay into stable atoms. By measuring the number of unstable atoms at different time intervals, scientists can determine the half-life of Xenon 124.
The decay constant is a measure of the probability that an unstable atom will decay in a given time period. It is represented by the symbol λ and is related to the half-life of Xenon 124 through the equation t1/2 = ln(2)/λ. This means that the half-life is inversely proportional to the decay constant, so a larger decay constant will result in a shorter half-life.
There are several methods used to measure the half-life of Xenon 124, including radiometric dating techniques such as alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay. These methods involve measuring the rate at which unstable Xenon 124 atoms decay into stable atoms, and using this information to calculate the half-life.
The calculated half-life of Xenon 124 is considered to be very accurate, with a margin of error of only a few percent. This is because the decay of unstable atoms is a random process, and by measuring a large number of atoms, scientists can minimize the effects of statistical fluctuations and obtain a more precise measurement.
The half-life of Xenon 124 is measured in trillions of years because it is an extremely long-lived isotope. This means that it takes a very long time for half of the unstable atoms in a sample to decay into stable atoms. In fact, the half-life of Xenon 124 is estimated to be around 1.8 trillion years, making it one of the longest-lived isotopes known.