Now try a real-world example with more than 100 atoms. Start with 5.4 * 1012 radioactive nuclei of Lincolnium. Approximately how many nuclei would still be radioactive after four half-life cycles?

Question

Chemistry

Callum Aguilar

29 December, 15:17

Now try a real-world example with more than 100 atoms. Start with 5.4 * 1012 radioactive nuclei of Lincolnium. Approximately how many nuclei would still be radioactive after four half-life cycles?

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Martha Strickland · Answer 1

Answer is: number of radioactive nuclei of Lincolnium is 3.375*10¹¹.

Half-life is the time required for a quantity (in this example number of radioactive nuclei of lincolnium) to reduce to half its initial value.

Initial number of nuclei: 5.4*10¹².

After first half-life: 50% · 5.4*10¹² : 100% = 2.7*10¹².

After second half-life: 0.5 · 2.7*10¹² = 1.35*10¹².

After third half-life: 0.5 · 1.35*10¹² = 6.75*10¹¹.

After fourth half-life: 0.5 · 6.75*10¹¹ = 3.375*10¹¹.