If I am having odd no. of atoms of a radioactive element, how many atoms will remain after half life time?

Question

Say if i have 5 atoms of a radioactive element then will there remain two and half atoms after half life time?how it,s possible?

Answer 1

The half life is the amount of time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay.
The half life for a given isotope is always the same ; it doesn't depend on how many atoms you have or on how long they've been sitting around. If they are all radioactive they will all decay!

The rate at which these isotopes decay depends on their respective half life:
ie: the half life of a carbon isotope is not the same as the half life as a uranium isotope!

Hope it helped;)

Answer 2

You won't. You'll have either 3 atoms or 2 atoms, with about a 50% probability of each. There's also a small probability for each of the other options: 5, 4 , 1, or none.

Answer 3

The half life premise doesn't apply to a sample size that small. It applies to millions of atoms where one more really doesn't make a difference. To answer your question, with 5, it could be 2 or 3 with the most probability.

Answer 4

You will retain 5 of your atoms The but their radioactivity will become half.

Answer 5

You won't. You'll have either 3 atoms or 2 atoms, with a 50% probability of each.

Answer 6

you cant half an atom

youll end up with either 2 or 3 atoms

Answer 7

That remain after how long? After 100 years there is 1/2 mole, after 200 years there is 1/4 mole, after 300 years there is 1/8 mole etc.

Answer 8

Not at all. Rather it depends upon the half life of the radioactive substance.

Answer 9

the 5 atom will still be there...