# P Natural Water Contains a Small Amount of Tritium ( 3 1 H ). this Isotope Beta-decays with a Half-life of 12.5 Years. a Mountaineer While Climbing Towards a Difficult Peak Finds Debris - Physics

Sum

Natural water contains a small amount of tritium (""_1^3H). This isotope beta-decays with a half-life of 12.5 years. A mountaineer while climbing towards a difficult peak finds debris of some earlier unsuccessful attempt. Among other things he finds a sealed bottled of whisky. On returning, he analyses the whisky and finds that it contains only 1.5 per cent of the ""_1^3H radioactivity as compared to a recently purchased bottle marked '8 years old'. Estimate the time of that unsuccessful attempt.

#### Solution

Given:
Half-life time of tritium, T_"1/2" = 12.5 years

Disintegration constant, lambda = 0.693/12.5 per year

Let A0 be the activity, when the bottle was manufactured.
Activity after 8 years (A) is given by

A = A_0e^((-0.693)/(12.5) xx 8)  .....(1)

Let us consider that the mountaineering had taken place years ago.
Then, activity of the bottle (A') on the mountain is given by

A' = A_0e^(-lambdat)

Here, A' = (Activity of the bottle manufactured 8 years ago) × 1.5 %

A' = A_0e^((-0.693)/(12.5) xx 8) xx 0.015 ...(2)

Comparing (1) and (2)

(-0.693)/12.5 t = (-0.6931 xx 8)/12.5 + "In"   [0.015]

⇒ (-0.693)/12.5 t = (-0.693)/12.5 xx 8 - 4.1997

⇒ 0.639  t = 58.040

⇒ t = 83.75 years

Is there an error in this question or solution?

#### APPEARS IN

HC Verma Class 11, Class 12 Concepts of Physics Vol. 2
Chapter 24 The Nucleus
Q 34 | Page 443