Nucleus: Practice Problem & Solution
For a radioactive material, half-life is 10 minutes. If initially there are 600 number of nuclei, the time taken (in minutes) for the disintegration of 450 nuclei is (2018)
Solution Explained:
To solve this problem, we apply the core principles of Nucleus. Understanding the underlying formula is key to arriving at the correct answer below:
Remaining nuclei $N = 600 - 450 = 150$. The fraction remaining is $150/600 = 1/4 = (1/2)^2$. Since 2 half-lives have passed, the total time is $t = 2 \times 10 = 20$ minutes.
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