Americium-241 is used in smoke detectors. It hasa first-order rate constant for radioactive decay ofk = 1.6 x 10-3 yr-1. By contrast, iodine-125, which isused to test for thyroid functioning, has a rate constantfor radioactive decay of k = 0.011 day-1. (a) What are thehalf-lives of these two isotopes? (b) Which one decays ata faster rate? (c) How much of a 1.00-mg sample of eachisotope remains after three half-lives? (d) How much of a1.00-mg sample of each isotope remains after 4 days?

Chemistry: Principles and Practice
3rd Edition
ISBN:9780534420123
Author:Daniel L. Reger, Scott R. Goode, David W. Ball, Edward Mercer
Publisher:Daniel L. Reger, Scott R. Goode, David W. Ball, Edward Mercer
Chapter13: Chemical Kinetics
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 13.51QE: The half-life of tritium, 3H, is 12.26 years. Tritium is the radioactive isotope of hydrogen. (a)...
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Americium-241 is used in smoke detectors. It has
a first-order rate constant for radioactive decay of
k = 1.6 x 10-3 yr-1. By contrast, iodine-125, which is
used to test for thyroid functioning, has a rate constant
for radioactive decay of k = 0.011 day-1. (a) What are the
half-lives of these two isotopes? (b) Which one decays at
a faster rate? (c) How much of a 1.00-mg sample of each
isotope remains after three half-lives? (d) How much of a
1.00-mg sample of each isotope remains after 4 days?

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