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Ch.21 - Radioactivity & Nuclear Chemistry
Chapter 21, Problem 49

A radioactive sample contains 2.35 g of an isotope with a halflife of 3.8 days. What mass of the isotope remains after 7.0 days?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation. This decay occurs at a predictable rate characterized by the half-life, which is the time required for half of the radioactive sample to decay into a more stable form.
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Rate of Radioactive Decay

Half-Life

Half-life is a specific time period during which half of a given quantity of a radioactive substance will decay. For example, if a substance has a half-life of 3.8 days, after this time, only half of the original amount will remain, allowing for calculations of remaining mass over multiple half-lives.
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Zero-Order Half-life

Exponential Decay Formula

The exponential decay formula is used to calculate the remaining quantity of a radioactive substance after a certain time. It is expressed as N(t) = N0 * (1/2)^(t/T), where N(t) is the remaining quantity, N0 is the initial quantity, t is the elapsed time, and T is the half-life. This formula allows for precise calculations of remaining mass based on time and half-life.
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