Re: Working with lead

hlg@pacbell.net
Fri, 13 Aug 1999 11:07:37 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Ken-

I didn't mean to say I thought the lead was radioactive. I really didn't
know one way or the other and was just raising the question. If shielding
lead became radioactive, it would become toxic waste and there would be
strict rules for its disposal. Also entering a shielded room with exposed
lead would expose one to its radioactivity. My guess is that the lead is
okay, and the responses so far seem to indicate that it is. But I know
nothing about nuclear science.

Harry

>If lead can become radioactive can it also be turned into gold? Lead does
>have isotopes, about 41 of them. However X rays are ionizing radiation, they
>can affect the electrons of the atom but do not have enough energy to alter
>the nuclear structure (The energy in xrays is not greater than the binding
>energy of the nucleus). Therefore, I would think (strongly) that x rays
>cannot make your lead radioactive. However, if the door was used on a
>supercollider...
>Jim Nolan
>-----Original Message-----
>From: happy life skills foundation <hapilife@efn.org>
>To: hlg@pacbell.net <hlg@pacbell.net>
>Cc: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
>Date: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 5:01 PM
>Subject: Re: Working with lead
>
>
>>>Harry--- I think you're right about the radioactive part. I'll ask my wife
>>(she's a family practice md) or my sister (an orthopedic md).
>>
>>Or maybe we should just ask Jim Nolan.....
>>Ken Silverman
>>