The isotope cesium (Cs)-137 has a half-life of 30 years. How long will it take for this isotope to decay to about one-half its original amount?

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**Understanding Half-life: A Case Study on Cesium-137**

Consider the isotope cesium (Cs)-137, which has a half-life of 30 years. The question here is: How long will it take for this isotope to decay to about one-half its original amount?

In simplest terms, the half-life of an isotope is the amount of time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms present in a sample to decay into a different state or element. Therefore, for cesium-137, it will take approximately 30 years to decay to half of its initial quantity.

Understanding half-life is crucial in fields such as radiometric dating, nuclear medicine, and environmental science, where predicting the behavior of radioactive substances is necessary for safety and effective planning.
Transcribed Image Text:**Understanding Half-life: A Case Study on Cesium-137** Consider the isotope cesium (Cs)-137, which has a half-life of 30 years. The question here is: How long will it take for this isotope to decay to about one-half its original amount? In simplest terms, the half-life of an isotope is the amount of time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms present in a sample to decay into a different state or element. Therefore, for cesium-137, it will take approximately 30 years to decay to half of its initial quantity. Understanding half-life is crucial in fields such as radiometric dating, nuclear medicine, and environmental science, where predicting the behavior of radioactive substances is necessary for safety and effective planning.
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