Question

One Curie is equal to
A. \[3 \times {10^{10}}\] disintegrations per sec
B. \[3.7 \times {10^7}\] disintegrations per sec
C. \[5 \times {10^7}\] disintegrations per sec
D. \[3.7 \times {10^{10}}\] disintegrations per sec

Answer 1

Hint: In the given question, we need to find the value of one Curie. For this, we will first define the concept of Curie to get the desired result.

Complete step by step solution:
We know that the curie is the non-SI unit of radioactivity. Here, radioactivity means the particles that are emitted from nuclei as a result of nuclear instability. The SI unit of radioactivity is Becquerel. So, Radium atoms’ decaying each second is how Curie is characterized. Additionally, it is roughly equivalent to the radiation that 1 gram of radium-\[226\] emits.

1 Curie is also equivalent to \[37\]Becquerel since it is equal to \[3.71010\] disintegration per second (\[Bq\]). Also, a radioactive compound that decays at a rate of \[37\] billion disintegrations per second is also considered to be a curie. Mathematically, it is represented as,
\[1{\rm{ Ci}} = 3.7 \times {10^{10}}{\rm{ dps}}\]

Therefore, the correct option is D.

Additional Information: A Curie is one of three instruments used to evaluate how radioactive a material sample is. This number represents how much ionizing radiation is produced whenever an element, like uranium, spontaneously releases energy as the outcome of radioactive decay (or atom disintegration).

Note: Many students may explain about \[1{\rm{ Ci}} = 3.7 \times {10^{10}}{\rm{ dps}}\]. But it is necessary to explain the concept of Curie and also the use of it. Thus, it gives a clear idea about the question. We should be familiar with the interconversions of various radioactivity units in order to respond to this question.