How many halE lives would hae to elapse for a Sample of a radioachtve isotope to decraase Of 3cpm? fram an activity of 48 cpm to an achyity o! acthuily
How many halE lives would hae to elapse for a Sample of a radioachtve isotope to decraase Of 3cpm? fram an activity of 48 cpm to an achyity o! acthuily
College Physics
11th Edition
ISBN:9781305952300
Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1CQ: Estimate the order of magnitude of the length, in meters, of each of the following; (a) a mouse, (b)...
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![**Question:**
How many half-lives would have to elapse for a sample of a radioactive isotope to decrease from an activity of 48 cpm to an activity of 3 cpm?
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**Explanation:**
This question involves calculating the number of half-lives required for a radioactive substance to decrease in activity from 48 counts per minute (cpm) to 3 cpm. The activity of a radioactive isotope decreases by half with each half-life. Therefore, you can solve this by using the formula:
\[ \text{Final Activity} = \text{Initial Activity} \times \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n \]
Where:
- Final Activity = 3 cpm
- Initial Activity = 48 cpm
- \( n \) = number of half-lives
You can rearrange and solve this equation to find \( n \):
\[ 3 = 48 \times \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n \]
By dividing both sides by 48 and solving for \( n \), you can find how many half-lives have elapsed.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F5104fde3-7f6c-440c-813f-adfaf39f00da%2F2d6bef83-1297-4a3a-87f6-7f768e359576%2F37erxlb_processed.jpeg&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:**Question:**
How many half-lives would have to elapse for a sample of a radioactive isotope to decrease from an activity of 48 cpm to an activity of 3 cpm?
---
**Explanation:**
This question involves calculating the number of half-lives required for a radioactive substance to decrease in activity from 48 counts per minute (cpm) to 3 cpm. The activity of a radioactive isotope decreases by half with each half-life. Therefore, you can solve this by using the formula:
\[ \text{Final Activity} = \text{Initial Activity} \times \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n \]
Where:
- Final Activity = 3 cpm
- Initial Activity = 48 cpm
- \( n \) = number of half-lives
You can rearrange and solve this equation to find \( n \):
\[ 3 = 48 \times \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^n \]
By dividing both sides by 48 and solving for \( n \), you can find how many half-lives have elapsed.
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