Rutherfordium-261 has a half-life of 1.08 min. How long will it take for a sample of rutherfordium to lose one-third of its nuclei?
A) 1.02 min
B) 1.62 min
C) 0.63 min
D) 2.70 min
E) 3.24 min

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the time it takes for a sample to lose one-third of its nuclei, we use the formula for exponential decay. The decay constant (λ) is calculated using the half-life (T₁/₂ = 1.08 min) as λ = ln(2) / T₁/₂. The time (t) for one-third decay is found using the equation N(t)/N₀ = 2/3, leading to t = (ln(3/2) / λ) ≈ 0.63 min.

Rutherfordium-261 Has a Half-Life of 1