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The half life of a radioactive element is 100 years. How long does it take for 20 grams of it to be reducedto 5 grams?

User Uri Klar
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The half-life period represents the amount of time needed for the substance to decay to half the initial mass.

Since 5 grams is one-fourth of the initial 20 grams, it will need 2 half-life periods (one-half times one-half is one-fourth) so the 20 grams decay into 5 grams.

If one half-life period is 100 years, so it will take 200 years to reduce from 20 grams to 5 grams.

User Yorkwar
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