Beta Decay of Potassium-40

40K → 40Ca + e− + ν̄e

نظرة عامة

Potassium-40 decays to calcium-40 by beta emission (89.3%) or to argon-40 by electron capture (10.7%). With a half-life of 1.25 billion years, K-40 is the largest source of natural radioactivity in the human body. K-Ar dating is used for rocks millions to billions of years old.

المشاركون

الدور المادة المعامل الحالة
متفاعل Potassium K 1 (s)
منتج Calcium Ca 1 (s)

مثال من الحياة اليومية

Every human body contains about 4,400 Bq of K-40 radioactivity from potassium in food, primarily from bananas, potatoes, and meat.

الأهمية الصناعية

K-Ar and Ar-Ar dating are used to date volcanic rocks and establish geological timescales. K-40 is also a background radiation source in radiation detection.

الخصائص

النوع
Nuclear
قابل للعكس
لا
الطاقة
طارد للحرارة
ΔH
-130000000,0 kJ/mol

التفاعلات ذات الصلة

Alpha Decay of Radium-226 Alpha Decay of Radon-222 Alpha Decay of Thorium-232 Neutron Capture by Uranium-238 Beta Decay of Iodine-131 Beta Decay of Strontium-90 Alpha Decay of Polonium-210 Americium-241 Alpha Decay Beta Decay of Cobalt-60 Electron Capture by Beryllium-7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Beta Decay of Potassium-40?
The balanced equation is: ⁴⁰K → ⁴⁰Ca + e⁻ + ν̄ₑ.
What type of reaction is Beta Decay of Potassium-40?
Beta Decay of Potassium-40 is a nuclear reaction.
Is Beta Decay of Potassium-40 exothermic or endothermic?
Beta Decay of Potassium-40 is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -130000000.0 kJ/mol.