If the average lifetime of the proton were 1016 years, estimate thenumber of protons per

Chapter 12, Problem Challenges 4

(choose chapter or problem)

If the average lifetime of the proton were 1016 years, estimate thenumber of protons per kilogram of human body mass that woulddecay radioactively each year. Assume that a human being is madeentirely of water molecules and that each molecule contributes10 protons. (Hint: The molar weight of water is 18 g, and each moleof any substance contains 6.02 1023 particles.)If each proton decay released 1 MeV of energy, how muchenergy per kilogram would be produced in total by the decayingprotons in your body in 1 year? Give the result in joules per kilo-gram. If the energy released is mostly in the form of kinetic energyof the positrons produced in the decay, then 1 J/kg of this type ofionizing radiation is rated at about 1 Sv (the sievert [Sv] is the SIunit of radiation dose). Compare the total exposure in sieverts of aperson to the radiation produced by his/her own body to the maxi-mum safe dose of 1 mSv/yr for the general public from all artificialsources.