In: Physics
The radioisotope 15O (t1/2 = 122 s) is used to measure respiratory function. Patients inhale the gas, which is made by irradiating nitrogen gas with deuterons (2H). Consider a cubical cell measuring 1.24 cm on each edge, which holds nitrogen gas at a pressure of 2.25 atm and a temperature of 293 K. One face of the cube is uniformly irradiated with a deuteron beam having a current of 2.05 A. At the chosen deuteron energy, the reaction cross section is 0.21 b. (a) At what rate is 15O produced in the cell? (b) After an irradiation lasting for 60.0 s, what is the activity of 15O in the cell?