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What is the half-life of a radioactive element?
- a)The time in which the activity reduces to half of its initial value.
- b)The time in which the number of atoms reduces to half of its initial value.
- c)The time it takes for a radioactive material to become completely stable.
- d)The time it takes for a radioactive element to lose all of its radioactivity.
Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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What is the half-life of a radioactive element?a)The time in which the...
The half-life of a radioactive element is the time it takes for the number of radioactive atoms to reduce to half of their initial value. This concept is fundamental in understanding the rate of decay of radioactive materials.
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What is the half-life of a radioactive element?a)The time in which the...
Half-life of a radioactive element
The half-life of a radioactive element refers to the time it takes for the number of atoms of the radioactive substance to reduce to half of its initial value. It is a fundamental concept in nuclear chemistry and is widely used to measure the rate of decay of radioactive materials.
Understanding the concept
Radioactive elements are unstable and undergo a process called radioactive decay, where the nucleus of the atom spontaneously emits radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. This decay process occurs at a constant rate, but the actual number of atoms that decay per unit time depends on the initial number of atoms present.
The half-life is a characteristic property of each radioactive element and remains constant over time. It represents the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. After one half-life, half of the original radioactive atoms will have decayed, leaving half still intact. After two half-lives, only a quarter of the original atoms will remain, and so on.
Why option B is correct
Option B, "The time in which the number of atoms reduces to half of its initial value," is the correct answer because it accurately defines the concept of half-life. The half-life is not related to the activity or stability of the radioactive material, but rather to the number of atoms present.
The activity of a radioactive substance refers to the rate at which radioactive decay occurs, and it is measured in terms of disintegrations per unit time. The activity decreases as the number of radioactive atoms decreases, but it does not necessarily reduce to half of its initial value in one half-life.
Similarly, the stability of a radioactive material refers to its tendency to undergo radioactive decay. The half-life does not determine the stability of a material, as even highly stable elements can have long half-lives.
In summary, the half-life of a radioactive element is the time it takes for the number of atoms to reduce to half of its initial value. It is a crucial parameter for understanding and predicting the decay behavior of radioactive materials.
The half-life of a radioactive element refers to the time it takes for the number of atoms of the radioactive substance to reduce to half of its initial value. It is a fundamental concept in nuclear chemistry and is widely used to measure the rate of decay of radioactive materials.
Understanding the concept
Radioactive elements are unstable and undergo a process called radioactive decay, where the nucleus of the atom spontaneously emits radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. This decay process occurs at a constant rate, but the actual number of atoms that decay per unit time depends on the initial number of atoms present.
The half-life is a characteristic property of each radioactive element and remains constant over time. It represents the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. After one half-life, half of the original radioactive atoms will have decayed, leaving half still intact. After two half-lives, only a quarter of the original atoms will remain, and so on.
Why option B is correct
Option B, "The time in which the number of atoms reduces to half of its initial value," is the correct answer because it accurately defines the concept of half-life. The half-life is not related to the activity or stability of the radioactive material, but rather to the number of atoms present.
The activity of a radioactive substance refers to the rate at which radioactive decay occurs, and it is measured in terms of disintegrations per unit time. The activity decreases as the number of radioactive atoms decreases, but it does not necessarily reduce to half of its initial value in one half-life.
Similarly, the stability of a radioactive material refers to its tendency to undergo radioactive decay. The half-life does not determine the stability of a material, as even highly stable elements can have long half-lives.
In summary, the half-life of a radioactive element is the time it takes for the number of atoms to reduce to half of its initial value. It is a crucial parameter for understanding and predicting the decay behavior of radioactive materials.
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What is the half-life of a radioactive element?a)The time in which the activity reduces to half of its initial value.b)The time in which the number of atoms reduces to half of its initial value.c)The time it takes for a radioactive material to become completely stable.d)The time it takes for a radioactive element to lose all of its radioactivity.Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
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