A radioactive element’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for a sample to decay by 50% of its initial value.
When asked how long it takes for 75% of the original amount to decompose,
For the first half-life, 50% of uranium-238 decays and 50% does not.
The remaining 50% of undecayed Uranium-238 decays to half for the second half life, meaning that 25% decays and 25% stays undecayed.
Uranium decays at a rate of 55% + 25% in two half-lives.
2 Half Life is the total amount of time needed to decompose 75% of the original amount.
= 2 x (4.5×109)
= 9 x 109 years
A radioactive element’s half-life is the amount of time it takes for a sample to decay by 50% of its initial value.
When asked how long it takes for 75% of the original amount to decompose,
For the first half-life, 50% of uranium-238 decays and 50% does not.
The remaining 50% of undecayed Uranium-238 decays to half for the second half life, meaning that 25% decays and 25% stays undecayed.
Uranium decays at a rate of 55% + 25% in two half-lives.
2 Half Life is the total amount of time needed to decompose 75% of the original amount.
= 2 x (4.5×109)
= 9 x 109 years