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A half-life is the time it takes for half the original quantity of a given radioisotope to decay. If we are given a sample of one kind of radioactive material, the time it takes for half of it to undergo radioactive decay is the half-life of that radioisotope. It's a statistically derived figure, but scientists have arrived at some very accurate figures to denote the half-life of different radioactive isotopes.
The half-life of an unstable material is a constant which is characteristic of exponential decay. This follows because at any time in the decay process the number of disintegrations per second is proportional to the number of atoms of the isotope present, and this is generally unaffected by any physical influence on the material.
The half life of a radioactive isotope (radioisotope) is the amount of time required before half of the original mass of the isotope has decayed. For example, the radioisotope Uranium-238 i has a half-life of 4.46 billion years, therefore, if you have 100g of uranium-238 today in 4.46 billion years you will only have 50g.
Radioactive substances undergoes decaying process by emitting alpha and beta particles from its nuclei of its own atoms. The time required to desintegrate half of the amount of a radioactive substance is its half life.
Wiki User
∙ 6y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThe half-life or a radioactive nuclide (a radionuclide) is the time it takes for half of the atoms of that radionuclide to decay. It's a statistically derived period of time, but the physicists who come up with the numbers are very good at what they do. Translation: the figures are generally quite accurate.
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What radioactive decay processes do not reduce the atomic number of a nuclide?
Beta Decay.
How do you determine the half life of a radioactive substance that has changed through radioactive decay After 40 days the original substance left is is one sixteenth of the original amount?
the halflife is 10 days
What is the effect of beta decay on the composition of a nucleus?
Commonly the parent nuclide decays by the beta emission. In addition to that; inside the nuclei decay chain will consistently have half-lives!
Definition of disintegration constant?
The disintegration constant is the fraction of the number of atoms of a radioactive nuclide which decay in unit time; is the symbol for the decay constant in the equation N = Noe^-t, where No is the initial number of atoms present, and N is the number of atoms present after some time (t).
How long will it take half of a radioactive sample to decay?
The length of time depends on the element and isotope, but the point at which half of the sample has decayed is known as the half-life.
What is stable nucleon?
A stable nuclide is not radioactive and don't disintegrate.
How many neutrons does carbon has when the radioactive nuclide used in dating fossils?
9
What radioactive decay processes do not reduce the atomic number of a nuclide?
Beta Decay.
What is the result radioactive decay?
One type of atom (nuclide) breaks up, emitting some particle and energy, and converting into another type of nuclide.
What would you call a series of radioactive nuclides produced by radioactive decay until a stable nuclide is reached?
Decay Series
Which statement is true about half-lives?
A. Different atoms of the same nuclide have different half-lives.B. each radioactive nuclide has its own half-life.C. All radioactive nuclides of an element have the same half-life.D. All radioactive nuclides have the same half-life.
Which series consists of radioactive nuclides produced by successive radioactive decay until a stable nuclide is reached a. nuclide series b. half-life series c. parent series d. decay series?
Decay Series
What type of radioactive nuclide is injected into a person who is about to undergo a PET scan?
an unstable, radioactive isotope that contains too many protons
What happens to an atom whos nucleus decomposes?
It's called Radioactive Decay. It transforms the atom (or "parent nuclide") into a "daughter nuclide"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_decay
The time required for half the atoms in a sample of a radioactive nuclide to undergo decay?
The half-life.
Is any isotope of lead is radioactive?
many. one example is lead-214 with a halflife of 26.8 minutes.
How would you describe the isotopes of hydrogen?
All atoms of a specific element have the same number of protons in their nucleus, but the number of neutrons in the nucleus may vary these are isotopes of that element.Hydrogen has several possible isotopes, only the first three of these are commonly referred to:hydrogen or protium or hydrogen-1, 1 proton 0 neutrons, stabledeuterium or hydrogen-2, 1 proton 1 neutron, stabletritium or hydrogen-3, 1 proton 2 neutrons, radioactive halflife 12.26 yearshydrogen-4, 1 proton 3 neutrons, radioactive halflife about 139 yoctosecondshydrogen-5, 1 proton 4 neutrons, radioactive halflife about 910 yoctosecondshydrogen-6, 1 proton 5 neutrons, radioactive halflife 290 yoctosecondshydrogen-7, 1 proton 6 neutrons, radioactive halflife 23 yoctosecondsetc.
