A radioactive element has a half-life of 16 min. How many minutes will it take for the number of atoms present to decay to 1/8th of the initial value?
A) 450 min
B) 48 min
C) 2.0 min
D) 128 min
E) 250 min

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The half-life is 16 minutes. To decay to 1/8th, the substance must go through 3 half-lives (since 1/2^3 = 1/8). Therefore, it will take 3 * 16 = 48 minutes.

A Radioactive Element Has a Half-Life of 16 Min