In 1986, the worst nuclear disaster occurred in Chernobyl, USSR, when an explosion at a nuclear power plant released 1000 kg of
radioactive cesium-137. The following model calculates the remaining amount of cesium-137 in the atmosphere x years after 1986. f(x)=1000(0.5)^x/30
Find for the following:
Year x (years since 1986) f(x)
2006 20
2026 40
2046 60
2066 80
2086 100
2106 120
2126 140
If 100 kg or more of cesium-137 is considered unsafe for humans, when will this area be safe again (you may give an estimate based on your table of values above or find the exact value from a graphing utility)? What is the y-intercept for this function and what does it represent? Is this a growth or decay function?
The time when the area will be safe again in the year 2086
<h3>What is a nuclear power plant?</h3>
A nuclear power plant is a plant that produces energy by the use of nuclear energy. In a nuclear plant we always have a nuclear fuel that is used in the plant. The fuel undergoes a fission reaction that enables the plant to be used for the production of electricity.
Now we know that a nuclear reaction is a case of exponential decay hence the y-intercept for this function is the decay constant of the function.
The time when the area will be safe again in the year 2086 because following the function;
