Chapter 18, Problem 33QRT

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Half-life of the tantalum-172 has to be calculated if after 2 hours the radioactivity is $1/16$ of initial radioactivity.

Concept Introduction:

For a radioactive isotope, the relative instability is expressed in terms of half-life.  Half-life is the time required for half of the given quantity of the radioisotope to undergo radioactive decay.  Half-life of the radioactive isotope is independent of the quantity of the radioactive isotope.  Half-life of a radioactive isotope can be expressed as,

    $t_{1/2}=\frac{\text{0}\text{.693}}{k}$