Understanding Radioactive Half-Life

The video tutorial explains the concept of half-life in radioactive decay, highlighting its random nature. It uses examples of Fermium 253 and Uranium 232 to illustrate how half-life is calculated and observed. The tutorial also discusses the probability of decay and how it relates to random events, providing a comprehensive understanding of radioactive decay processes.

What is the probability that a nucleus will decay in one half-life?

• 0.1

• 1.0

• 0.25

• 0.5

Which of the following best describes radioactive decay?

• A predictable process

• A random process

• A reversible process

• A constant process

If a sample of fermium-253 starts with 5 * 10^20 nuclei, how many nuclei remain after two half-lives?

• 3.125 * 10^19

• 1.25 * 10^20

• 6.25 * 10^19

• 2.5 * 10^20

How long is the half-life of uranium-232 according to the graph?

• 70 years

• 100 years

• 50 years

• 30 years

What happens to the activity of uranium-232 after 140 years?

• It doubles

• It remains the same

• It halves twice

• It triples