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What is half-life?
The half-life is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample of a radioactive substance to decay.
How is half-life related to the stability of a substance?
Substances with shorter half-lives are less stable and decay faster.
What is the formula for calculating the remaining amount of a substance after a given time?
Remaining amount = initial amount / 2n, where n is the number of half-lives
How can you determine the half-life from a graph?
The half-life is the time it takes for the count rate to decrease by half.
Why is half-life important in radiometric dating?
Half-life allows scientists to calculate the age of materials based on the amount of radioactive decay.
How does the number of half-lives affect the remaining substance?
After each half-life, half of the remaining substance decays.
Can you predict exactly when a single atom will decay?
No, decay is a random process, but the half-life gives the average time for decay.
How does the half-life of carbon-14 help in dating fossils?
Carbon-14 has a half-life of about 5730 years, allowing scientists to date organic material.
What happens to the amount of radioactive substance after 3 half-lives?
After 3 half-lives, one-eighth of the original amount remains.
How does the concept of half-life apply to medical treatments?
Half-life is used to determine how long radioactive isotopes will remain active in the body.
What is the half-life of uranium-238?
Approximately 4.5 billion years.
How do half-lives help in the management of nuclear waste?
Half-life helps predict how long radioactive waste will remain dangerous.
What is the significance of a long half-life?
It indicates that the substance decays slowly and remains radioactive for a long time.
What is the significance of a short half-life?
It indicates rapid decay, making the substance dangerous for a short time.
What is the relationship between half-life and risk assessment in nuclear power?
Shorter half-lives increase the risk of radiation exposure over shorter periods.
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