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Multiple Choice
The half-life of Strontium-85 is 65 days. How much of an 80 mg sample is left after 260 days?
A
40 mg
B
5 mg
C
20 mg
D
10 mg
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of half-life: The half-life of a substance is the time it takes for half of the sample to decay. For Strontium-85, this is 65 days.
Determine the number of half-lives that have passed in 260 days. Divide the total time by the half-life: \( \frac{260}{65} \).
Calculate the remaining amount of Strontium-85 after each half-life. Start with the initial amount of 80 mg and apply the half-life decay formula: \( \text{Remaining amount} = \text{Initial amount} \times \left( \frac{1}{2} \right)^n \), where \( n \) is the number of half-lives.
Substitute the values into the formula: \( \text{Remaining amount} = 80 \text{ mg} \times \left( \frac{1}{2} \right)^n \).
Evaluate the expression to find out how much of the sample is left after 260 days.