The decay constant of plutonium-239, a waste product from nuclear reactors, is 2.88*10-5year-1. part a what is the half-life of 239pu?

24100 years

You can easily convert from decay constant to half-life by using the relationship:

H = ln (2) / D

where

H = half life

D = decay constant

ln (2) = natural logarithm of 2.

So

H = ln (2) / D

H = 0.693147181/2.88x10^-5 1/year

H = 2.41x10^4 year

H = 24100 year