Question

The half-life of a sample is

2.4 minutes. How many
grams would remain of a
32-gram sample after 9.6
minutes has elapsed?

Answer 1

The remaining mass of a 32-gram sample after 9.6 minutes, with a half-life of 2.4 minutes, would be 2 grams.

Step-by-step explanation:

The half-life of a sample is the time it takes for half of the sample to decay or disappear. In this case, the half-life is given as 2.4 minutes.

To determine how many grams would remain after 9.6 minutes, we can calculate the number of half-lives that have passed. Since 9.6 minutes is equal to 4 half-lives (9.6 / 2.4 = 4), we can use the formula:

Remaining mass = initial mass * (1/2)^(number of half-lives)

Plugging in the values, we have:

1. Number of half-lives: 4
2. Initial mass: 32 grams

Substituting these values into the formula:

Remaining mass = 32 * (1/2)^4 = 32 * (1/16) = 2 grams

Learn more about Calculating remaining mass in a decay process