3) Californium-252 has a half-life of 2.645 years. If the equation describing the decay of the readioactive nuclei is given by, find:
a) the value of k
b) how long it will take for 95% of the radioactive nuclei to disintegrate.
Please offer a step-by-step solution; I don't know how to do half-lifes really, but need to for my exam.
This is the second problem in which you say you have an exam coming up but have no idea how to do a problem. That's a very bad situation!Originally Posted by jangalinn
3) Californium-252 has a half-life of 2.645 years. If the equation describing the decay of the readioactive nuclei is given by
a) the value of k
b) how long it will take for 95% of the radioactive nuclei to disintegrate.
Please offer a step-by-step solution; I don't know how to do half-lifes really, but need to for my exam.
Half life MEANS "time until only half is left"- if you start with, after one "half life" you will have
left.
Put that into your given equation:when t is the half life- which you are told is 2.045 years:
. The "
. Solve for k by taking the logarithm of both sides.
Once you know k, useinstead of
and solve for t.
The general solution for finding half-life for a radioactive decay isThis is the second problem in which you say you have an exam coming up but have no idea how to do a problem. That's a very bad situation!
Half life MEANS "time until only half is left"- if you start with
Once you know k, use. It is derived from finding k in terms of t
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