58.0k views
10 votes
Calculate how many half-lives are required for a number of radio-active nuclei to decrease to one-millionth of

the initial number.

User ShinNoNoir
by
4.3k points

2 Answers

8 votes

Answer:

~ 20 half lives

Step-by-step explanation:

(1/2) ^n = 1/1,000,000 n = number of half-lives

LOG both sides to get

n LOG 1/2 = -6

n = -6/(LOG (1/2)) = 19.931 or approx 20 half lives

User Hannoun Yassir
by
5.1k points
2 votes

Answer:

it would depend on which element u would be considering

Step-by-step explanation:

as helium , oxygen , carbon ,sodium and other would be easier while plutonium , americium and other very radioactive elements would be harder

User SKumar
by
5.0k points