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submitted 11 months ago by moonsnotreal@lemmy.blahaj.zone to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] duckythescientist@sh.itjust.works 20 points 11 months ago

Definitely Simon since radium has a much higher activity than the other two.

[-] ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.de 19 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yes, you happen to be correct but you can't just say that. Different isotopes of each of these elements can be many orders of magnitude more active. If I could summon a few grams of any isotope of carbon (like C-20 that decays in microseconds), I could kill you with radiation poisoning instantly.

Anyway, it’s β⁻ decay so they are all affected, plus some α from secondary products that will be mostly received by Simon.

Unless Alvin’s ²³⁵U is above critical mass, in which case they all die very quickly.

[-] gingersneak@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

Your comment above gave the half lives of the main substances and their secondary products, right? Could you recommend any resources for someone to learn how to do what you did above?

[-] frezik@midwest.social 3 points 11 months ago

To expand a bit, you look up the isotope, look at their decay products, and then look up their decay products, and so on until you get to a stable isotope (usually lead or iron).