Question

The half-life of lead is 22 years. What would need to be the initial amount of lead so that we would have 10 grams remaining after 15 years?

Answer 1

The initial amount of lead needed to have 10 grams remaining after 15 years is approximately 27.4 grams.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the initial amount of lead that would result in 10 grams remaining after 15 years, we can use the formula for radioactive decay. The formula is:

N = N0 * (1/2)^(t/h)

Where N is the final amount, N0 is the initial amount, t is the time, and h is the half-life.

Plugging in the values, we have:

10 grams = N0 * (1/2)^(15/22)

Solving for N0, we find that the initial amount of lead needed is approximately 27.4 grams.