If a rock started with 1,000 atoms of a parent but now contains 250 atoms, how many half lives have passed?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of atoms remaining after n half-lives is given by the equation:N = N0 * (1/2)^nwhere N0 is the initial number of atoms and N is the number of atoms remaining after n half-lives.In this case, N0 = 1000 and N = 250. Substituting these values into the equation, we get:250 = 1000 * (1/2)^nDividing both sides by 1000, we get:0.25 = (1/2)^nTaking the logarithm of both sides, we get:log(0.25) = n * log(1/2)log(0.25) / log(1/2) = nn = 2Therefore, 2 half-lives have passed.

If a Rock Started with 1,000 Atoms of a Parent