The half-life of a radioactive isotope ‘X’ is 20 years. It...
The half-life of a radioactive isotope ‘X’ is 20 years. It...
Is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. This decay process is random and cannot be influenced by external factors such as temperature or pressure. The half-life is a constant characteristic of each radioactive isotope and is unique to that isotope.
The concept of half-life is used to measure the stability or rate of decay of a radioactive material. It is commonly used in radiometric dating to determine the age of rocks, fossils, and archaeological artifacts. By measuring the ratio of the remaining radioactive isotope to the decay product, scientists can calculate the number of half-lives that have passed and determine the age of the sample.
For example, if the half-life of a radioactive isotope is 100 years, after 100 years, half of the atoms in the sample will have decayed, leaving half of the original amount. After another 100 years, half of the remaining atoms will decay, leaving only one-fourth of the original amount, and so on.
The half-life can vary widely depending on the isotope. Some isotopes have half-lives measured in seconds, while others have half-lives measured in billions of years. The most well-known example is carbon-14, which has a half-life of about 5,730 years and is commonly used in dating organic materials up to around 50,000 years old.
Understanding the half-life of a radioactive isotope is crucial in various scientific fields, including nuclear physics, geology, and archaeology. It allows scientists to determine the age of materials, study the behavior of radioactive substances, and make predictions about their potential risks and benefits.
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