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nuclear decay is a simple random process, the more of something there is the more of it will decay if the probability of decay is constant (which it is).

the simplest way to quantify this is halflife, as you mention. but there is nothing special about halves, it can also be specified by the decay constant k that appears in the exponential decay function: n = n0 e-kt where n0 is initial quantity, n is current quantity, and t is time since initial time. or you could choose to specify it in thirdlife, quarterlife, fifthlife, hexadecilife, centlife, or whatever... but nobody else does.

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Q: Why only half quantity of atoms undergo decay?
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The time required for half the atoms in a sample of a radioactive nuclide to undergo decay?

The half-life.


In chemistry what is a half life?

The half-life of a quantity whose value decreases with time is the interval required for the quantity to decay to half of its initial value. The concept originated in describing how long it takes atoms to undergo radioactive decay but also applies in a wide variety of other situations.Half-lives are very often used to describe quantities undergoing exponential decay-for example radioactive decay-where the half-life is constant over the whole life of the decay, and is a characteristic unit (a natural unit of scale) for the exponential decay equation. However, a half-life can also be defined for non-exponential decay processes, although in these cases the half-life varies throughout the decay process. The converse for exponential growth is the doubling time.


When does an isotope undergo Decay?

An atom of a given isotope will undergo radioactive decay whenever it feels like it. No joke. The nucleus of a radioactive isotope is unstable. Always. But that atom has no predictable moment of instability leading immediately to the decay event. We use something called a half life to estimate how long it will take for half a given quantity of an isotope to undergo radioactive decay until half the original amount is left, but this is a statistically calculated period. No one knows how long it will take a given atom of a radioactive isotope to decay, except that those with very short half lives will pretty much disappear relatively quickly.


A uranium235 sample starts with 200 atoms and 700 million years later there are 100 atoms What is the halflife of uranium235?

700 milliion years. The definition of half-life is the period of time during which one-half of the atoms of an element undergo decay into other elements.


Is an exponential decay function represent a quantity that has a constant halving time?

A quantity is said to be subject to exponential decay if it decreases at a rate proportional to its value. The time required for the decaying quantity to fall to one half of its initial value.Radioactive decay is a good example where the half life is constant over the entire decay time.In non-exponential decay, half life is not constant.


What is half-life of a radioistope is the amount of time it takes for?

The time depends on the isotope. The half life of uranium-238 is about 4.47 billion years and that of uranium-235 is 704 million years. The half life is the amount of time during which any given atom of the isotope has a 50% chance of undergoing decay. Seen another way, the half life is the time it takes for half the atoms of an isotope in a mass of that isotope to undergo decay.


Is it true that The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its period?

It's period of half of decay.


What is the time it takes for half of the atoms in an isotope to decay called?

The half-life


What is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a radioactive element to decay?

The half-life


What is the time it takes for half of the Atoms of a radioactive element to decay?

The half-life


What is the time needed for half the atoms to decay called?

it's half life


How long does it take for 75 of an original 100 silver atoms to decay?

The decay rate of atoms is typically quantified by a half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the original atoms to decay. If we assume a constant decay rate, we can estimate that it takes approximately 3 half-lives for 75 of the original 100 silver atoms to decay. If the half-life of the silver isotope is 1 hour, then it would take approximately 3 hours for 75 of the atoms to decay.