21. Nuclear Chemistry
Rate of Radioactive Decay
Problem 62
Textbook Question
Textbook QuestionThe electronic systems on the New Horizons spacecraft, which launched on January 19, 2006, and reached its closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015, were powered by elec-tricity generated by heat. The heat came from the radioac-tive decay of 238Pu in the 11 kg of 238PuO2 fuel onboard. The generator provided 240 W when the spacecraft was launched. If the power output is directly proportional to the amount of 238Pu in the generator, what was the power output when the spacecraft reached Pluto? The half-life of 238Pu is 87.7 y.
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