Re:I’m in Wyoming to celebrate the next nuclear breakthrough
by tzs on Saturday May 06, 2023 @10:50AM
(#35841898)
And even in those few days it probably won't affect things that aren't close to the accident.
A sodium 24 atom decays to an excited magnesium 24 atom by emitting a 1.39 MeV electron. That has a penetrating power of about 5 m in air.
The excited magnesium 24 quickly drops to the ground state by emitting two gamma rays, one at 2.76 MeV and one at 1.38 MeV. Those won't get past maybe 150 m of air.
A sodium 24 atom decays to an excited magnesium 24 atom by emitting a 1.39 MeV electron. That has a penetrating power of about 5 m in air.
The excited magnesium 24 quickly drops to the ground state by emitting two gamma rays, one at 2.76 MeV and one at 1.38 MeV. Those won't get past maybe 150 m of air.