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A stable isotope does not have a half-life because of the definition of stable versus radioactive. It is stable, and does not decay; thus, it has no half-life. Only unstable, i.e. radioactive isotopes have half-lives.
There are some isotopes that are thought to be unstable, but for which we have been unable to measure the half-life because it is so long. These are examples of some of the primordial nuclides, such as Ta-180m, estimated to have a half-life in excess of 1015 years, far longer than the known age of the universe.
What else can I help you with?
What is a way to determine age of fossil by comparing number of stable isotopes to number of unstable isotopes using half life?
Carbon decay or carbon dating
Which alkali metal element has no stable isotopes?
Elements with no stable isotopes include technetium (element 43) and promethium (element 61) and all elements heavier than lead (elements 83 and higher). Bismuth, element 83, is virtually stable with an extremely long half life of 1.9 x 1019 years.
If the isotope have short half lives is that mean that the isotope is in a stable condition?
No. Only radioactive elements have half-lives, the half-life is the time that it will take for half of the atoms in a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay into another element or isotope. This is a constant property of the isotope and does not depend on the sample size. Stable isotopes never decay.
How are radioactive isotopes used determine the absolute age of igneous rock?
Answer : When the isotopes decay, scientists can find out how old the rock is depending on the radioactive isotope's half-life. Explanation: Radioactive isotopes are unstable and will decay. For example, when humans die carbon-14 decays. The isotopes will decay into a stable isotope over time. Scientists can tell how old the rock was from looking at the radioactive isotope's half-life, which tells them how long it would take for there to be half the radioactive isotope and half the stable isotope. At the next half-life there will be 25% of the radioactive isotope and 75% of the stable isotope. At the next half life there will be 12.5% radioactive and 87.5% stable. Example: Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope with a half life of 5,730 years. How old would carbon-14 be when there is 75% carbon-14 in the rock? 75% is half of the time before the half-life, so it would be 2,365 years. Hope this helps. Half life helps scientists find how much the isotope has decayed and the age of the rock.
What Average atomic mass is in parentheses?
For elements with no stable isotopes, the mass number of the isotope with the longest half-life is in parentheses.
What is the half life of arsenic?
Arsenic (in the form of arsenic-75) is a stable element. Only its isotopes have a half-life. As there are many isotopes of every element, and each has a different half life, it is difficult to specify a precise answer. The related link below contains a list of known isotopes and their half lives.
How can you determine if an isotope is stable?
Isotopes are considered stable if they do not undergo radioactive decay. This can be determined by measuring the isotope's half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. If the half-life is long, the isotope is considered stable.
What hydrogen isotopes are stable?
Hydrogen-1 and hydrogen-2 isotopes are radioactively stable.
How many unstable isotophes are in xenon?
The number of unstable isotopes cannot be determined. Xenon has 9 stable or primordial isotopes. These include isotopes whose half-life is greater than 80 million years which is long enough for some of the atoms to have survived. It is also possible that so-called stable isotopes are not really stable but have half-lives of more than 10^22 years.Of the 9 Xenon isotopes,134Xe has a half-life of 1.1*10^16 years;136Xe has a half-life of 8.5*10^21 years;124Xe has a half-life of 1*10^17 years.
Is there any isotopes in phosphorus?
Yes, the most stable isotopes are 31P, 32P, and 33P. 31P is stable with 16 neutrons. 32P has a half-life of 14.28 days with 17 neutrons. 33P has a half-life of 25.3 days with 18 neutrons.
Is a way to determine the age of a fossil by comparing the number of stable isotopes to the number of unstable isotopes using a known half life?
relative dating
Is a way to determine the age of a fossil by comparing the number of stable isotopes to the number of unstable isotopes using a known half-life.?
relative dating
How do you determine if an isotope is stable?
Isotopes are considered stable if they do not undergo radioactive decay over time. Scientists determine the stability of an isotope by measuring its half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. If an isotope has a long half-life, it is considered stable.
What is half life of nitrogen?
The natural isotopes of nitrogen are stable; for the synthetic radioactive isotopes of nirogen see the link below.
What is a way to determine age of fossil by comparing number of stable isotopes to number of unstable isotopes using half life?
Carbon decay or carbon dating
Which alkali metal element has no stable isotopes?
Elements with no stable isotopes include technetium (element 43) and promethium (element 61) and all elements heavier than lead (elements 83 and higher). Bismuth, element 83, is virtually stable with an extremely long half life of 1.9 x 1019 years.
What form is commonly found in nature?
The most stable of any element is found free in nature. Sometimes isotopes are also found along with the most stable of an element. Isotopes usually have short half life.
