Free Half-life and Rate of Decay MCQs with Answers

54 Half-life and Rate of Decay MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Half-life is the time required for half the unstable nuclei in a sample to decay, and it remains constant for a particular radioactive nuclide. Questions use the exponential decay law, decay constant, activity, remaining quantity and mean life. Radioactive decay is random for individual nuclei but predictable for large samples.

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54 questions · page 2 of 3

  • A. 8,900 years
  • B. 6,476 years
  • C. 7,000 years
  • D. 2,520 years

Explanation: The half-life of a radioactive element is given by the following formula: T1/2 = ln(2) / λ where T1/2 is the half-life, ln(2) is the…

Correct answer: 6,476 years
  • A. Amount of element present
  • B. Temperature
  • C. Pressure
  • D. None

Explanation: The half-life of a radioactive element depends only on the nature of the radioactive element.

Correct answer: None
  • A. 12.5%
  • B. 8.5%
  • C. 87.5%
  • D. 25.1%

Explanation: The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.

Correct answer: 87.5%
  • A. 1/2
  • B. 1/4
  • C. 1/8
  • D. 1/16

Explanation: The half-life of radium is 1600 years. This means that after 1600 years, half of the radium atoms in a sample will have decayed.

Correct answer: 1/16
  • A. 10 days
  • B. 8 days
  • C. 5 days
  • D. 6 days

Explanation: Initial mass = 40g Final mass = 1.25g Number of haalf lives = n Initial mass x (1 / 2)n = final mass (1 / 2)n = final mass / initial mass…

Correct answer: 10 days
  • A. 3 months
  • B. 4 months
  • C. 8 months
  • D. 12 months

Explanation: t1/2 = 4 months Amount of substance left: 1 - 3 / 4 = 0.25 Number of half lives=n (1 / 2)n = amount of substance left (1 / 2)n = 0.25 ==>…

Correct answer: 8 months
  • A. 3.9 x 10^3 s
  • B. 2.9 x 10^-1 s
  • C. 2.9 x 10^3 s
  • D. 1.6 x 10^-4 s

Explanation: decay constant = 4.3 x 103 s-1 t1/2 = ? t1/2 = 0.693 / decay constant t1/2 = 0.693 / 4.3 x 103 t1/2 = 1.6 x 10-4 s .

Correct answer: 1.6 x 10^-4 s
  • A. 2 seconds
  • B. 5 seconds
  • C. 4 seconds
  • D. 6 seconds

Explanation: Radioactivity drops to = 1 / 64 of original value Number of half lives = n (1 / 2)n = 1 / 64 (1 / 2)6 = 1 / 64 n = 6 Total time = 30…

Correct answer: 5 seconds
  • A. 50 mg
  • B. 50/√2 mg
  • C. 25 mg
  • D. Zero

Explanation: Half life = 270 days Total time given = 540 days Number of half-lives => n = 540 / 270 = 2 Initial mass = 100mg Final mass = 100 x (1 /…

Correct answer: 25 mg
  • A. 100 years
  • B. 11460 years
  • C. 1000 years
  • D. 1200 years

Explanation: The explanation is given below: The C-14 to C-12 ratio in the fossil is one-fourth of the ratio in a living animal's bone, meaning only…

Correct answer: 11460 years
  • A. 1.58 mg
  • B. 1.25 mg
  • C. 1.17 mg
  • D. 2.56 mg

Explanation: The explanation is given below: Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) has a half-life of 6 hours. You start with 300 mg of it.

Correct answer: 1.17 mg
  • A. 1: 16
  • B. 16: 1
  • C. 1: 8
  • D. 8: 1

Explanation: To solve this problem, we need to determine the number of half-lives that have passed for each element within the given time frame.

Correct answer: 1: 16
  • A. 12.5 g
  • B. 25 g
  • C. 50 g
  • D. 100 g

Explanation: To calculate the amount of uranium left after three half-lives, you can use the formula:Final amount=Initial amount×(1/2 )number of…

Correct answer: 50 g
  • A. 30 days
  • B. 20 days
  • C. 15 days
  • D. 12 days

Explanation: As: N=N0 ×(1/2)t/TGiven that N/N0 =1/32 and t=60 days, we can substitute these values into the equation: 1/32=(1/2)60/TTaking the natural…

Correct answer: 12 days
  • A. After 1/2 minutes, 1/4 of the isotope remain
  • B. After 1 minute, 1/4 of the isotope remain
  • C. After 4 minute, 1/4 of the isotope remain
  • D. After 4 minute, none of the isotope remain

Explanation: As the Half life is 2 min and the original qunatity of isotopes is 1/2 when we double the time then multiply the half of the new time time…

Correct answer: After 4 minute, 1/4 of the isotope remain
  • A. After 1/2 minutes, 1/4 of the isotope remain
  • B. After 1 minute, 1/4 of the isotope remains
  • C. After 4 minutes, 1/4 of the isotope remains
  • D. After 4 minute, none of the isotope remain

Explanation: As the half-life is 2 min and the original quantity of isotopes is 1/2, when we double the time,e then multiply the half-life of the new…

Correct answer: After 4 minutes, 1/4 of the isotope remains
  • A. λ = T1/2
  • B. T1/2 = 0.693/λ
  • C. λ = T1/2/0.693
  • D. λ = T1/2 x 0.693

Explanation: The relationship between the decay constant (λ) and the half-life (T₁/₂) is given by the following equation:T₁/₂ = ln(2) / λ Where:T₁/₂ is…

Correct answer: T1/2 = 0.693/λ
  • A. 1240 years
  • B. 1620 years
  • C. 2000 years
  • D. 63 years

Explanation: T1/2 = 0.693/ λ = 0.693/(4.28 x 10-4)T 1/2 = 1620 years

Correct answer: 1620 years
  • A. 1/32No
  • B. No/31-No/32
  • C. 31/32No
  • D. No/32-No/31

Explanation: Np/No = (2n - 1)/ 2n= (25 - 1)/25 = 31/32

Correct answer: 31/32No
  • A. 0.001 s-1
  • B. 0.01 s-1
  • C. 0.1 s-1
  • D. 1 s-1

Explanation: According to the formula λ=ln(2)/T1/2 =0.693/0.693 =1s-1This is Official Federal MDCAT 2024 question, the question statement and it's…

Correct answer: 1 s-1