Half-life and Radioactive Decay Worksheet
Grade 11 Science worksheet covering half-life calculations, radioactive decay processes, and applications in physics.
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Half-life and Radioactive Decay
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Read each question carefully and provide your answer in the space provided. Show all calculations where necessary.
1. What is the definition of half-life?
The time it takes for a radioactive sample to completely decay.
The time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.
The time it takes for a radioactive sample to lose all its mass.
The time it takes for a radioactive sample to double its activity.
2. After 3 half-lives, what fraction of the original radioactive material remains?
1/2
1/4
1/8
1/16
3. The process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation is known as .
4. Carbon-14 dating is used to determine the age of ancient organic materials based on the decay of .
5. A sample of Iodine-131 has a half-life of 8 days. If you start with 100 grams, how much Iodine-131 will remain after 24 days? Show your calculations.
6. Explain why the half-life of a radioactive isotope is a constant value and is not affected by external factors like temperature or pressure.
7. The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time it takes for half of its mass to disappear.
True
False
8. All radioactive isotopes have the same half-life.
True
False
9. Analyze the radioactive decay curve shown below and answer the following questions.
a) What is the approximate half-life of the substance represented by the curve?
b) If the initial amount of the substance was 200 units, how much would remain after two half-lives?