Question

Radium-226, a common isotope of radium, has a half-life of 1,620 years. how many grams of a 120-gram sample will remain after t years? which equation can you use to solve this problem?

Answer 1

To find the remaining mass of Radium-226 after a certain number of years, use the half-life decay formula with the initial mass of 120 grams and the half-life of 1620 years, adjusting 't' for the time elapsed.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the amount of a radioactive sample remaining after a given time has passed, you can use the half-life decay formula:

N(t) = N_0 × (1/2)^(t/T)

Where N(t) is the amount remaining after time t, N_0 is the initial amount, T is the half-life of the substance, and t is the elapsed time.

For a 120-gram sample of Radium-226 which has a half-life of 1,620 years, the amount remaining after t years is:

N(t) = 120 grams × (1/2)^(t/1620)

To use the formula, simply replace t with the number of years that have passed.