Question

A scientist is studying a radioactive element that has a half-life of 63 years. Choose the correct answers from the drop-down menus to complete each statement about the element.

Answer 1

Answer:

63 , one eighth , number of half -life cycles

Explanation:

Answer 2

Answer:

63 years

Eighth

The number of half lives

Explanation:

It will take 63 years for half of the sample to decay

In 189 years, eighth of the sample will be left

Scientists can figure out how old a sample is by multiplying the number of half lives by the length of the half life.

Half life is the time taken by a radioactive sample to decay to half of the original amount.

Therefore, for a radioactive element with a half-life of 63 years, it will take 63 years for the sample to decay to half of the original amount.

After 189 years, only an eighth of the sample will be left.

That is, 189 years is equivalent to 3 half-lives

Therefore, if the original amount is 1, then;

1 → 0.5 → 0.25 → 0.125

Thus, scientists can figure out how old a sample is by multiplying the number of half lives by the length of the half life.