The half-life of radium is 1590 years. In how many years shall the earth lose all its radium due to radioactive decay?

Correct answer: C. 1590 x 10^24 years

  • A. 1590 x 10^6 years
  • B. 1590 x 10^12 years
  • C. 1590 x 10^24 years
  • D. Never

Explanation

The time required for a substance to decay to half of its original amount is determined by its half-life. In this case, to lose all radium, it would take many times the half-life, so the correct answer is a large multiple of the half-life.

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