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A 160g radioactive sample is left undisturbed for 12.5 hours. At the end of that period, only 5.0g remain. What is the half-life of this sample? Show work

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it would be 26 because once you divide 160g by 5.0g and add 12.5 you would get 26

hope this helps

User Iwek
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1 vote

Answer:

2.50 h

Step-by-step explanation:

The half-life of a sample is the time it takes for half of it to decay.

After one half-life, half (50 %) of the original amount will remain.

After a second half-life, half of that amount (25 %) will remain, and so on.

We can construct a table as follows:

No. of Fraction Mass

half-lives remaining Remaining/g

1 ½ 80

2 ¼ 40

3 ⅛ 20

4 ¹/₁₆ 10

5 ¹/₃₂ 5.0

6 ¹/₆₄ 2.5

We see that 5.0 g remain after five half-lives.

5t_½ = 12.5 h Divide each side by 5

t_½ = 2.50 h

The half-life is 2.50 h.

User Rafal Borowiec
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