WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY HALF-LIFE?

WHY DO WE NEED TO STUDY HALF-LIFE?

Since we are dealing with those radioactive elements, and we’d already known that they are emitting energy in the form of radiation spontaneously, the question is: What is happening to the element itself?

All what’s happening to the radioactive elements could be represented (Note: in a simple manner) by putting fuel to your sports car. You drove the car for many hours and many miles were traveled, and sooner or later, you’ll use up all the fuel because it is the source of energy for your engine-powered car.

Fuel= radioactive elements

Energy used by car= the spontaneous radiation of elements

BUT…

THE PROCESS IS NOT LIKE THE EXAMPLE. RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS GOES IN THE PROCESS OF HALF-LIFE DECAY or EXPONENTIAL DECAY.

So why do we need to study it?

Of course, all radioactive elements are radioactive because they are unstable. To be in a stable state, they need to emit radiation and as they “emit radiation” or “decay”, we cannot predict when the element will decay. However, it is possible to predict what fraction of the nuclei in a sample will decay within any given time.

HALF-LIFE-in the definition given- of a radioactive element is the time that it takes for one half of the atoms of that substance to disintegrate into another nuclear form.