Question

The table shows the amount of radioactive element remaining in a sample over a period of time.

Answer 1

It would take 147 hours for 320 g of the sample to decay to 2.5 grams from the information provided.

Radioactivity refers to the decay of a nucleus leading to the spontaneous emission of radiation. The half life of a radioactive nucleus refers to the time required for the nucleus to decay to half of its initial amount.

Looking at the table, we can see that the initial mass of radioactive material present is 186 grams, within 21 hours, the radioactive substance decayed to half of its initial mass (93 g). Hence, the half life is 21 hours.

Using the formula;

k = 0.693/t1/2

k = 0.693/21 hours = 0.033 hr-1

Using;

N=Noe^-kt

N = mass of radioactive sample at time t

No = mass of radioactive sample initially present

k = decay constant

t = time taken

Substituting values;

2.5/320= e^- 0.033 t

0.0078 = e^- 0.033 t

ln (0.0078) = 0.033 t

t = ln (0.0078)/-0.033

t = 147 hours

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