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NEET PHYSICSNUCLEIEasy

Question

The half-life of a radioactive substance is 20 minutes. In how much time, the activity of substance drops to (1/16)th(1/16)^{th} of its initial value?

A

80 minutes

B

20 minutes

C

40 minutes

D

60 minutes

Step-by-Step Solution

  1. Identify the Relationship: Radioactive decay follows first-order kinetics. The remaining activity AA after nn half-lives is given by A=A0(12)nA = A_0 (\frac{1}{2})^n, where A0A_0 is the initial activity .
  2. Determine Number of Half-lives (nn):
  • We are given that the final activity is 116\frac{1}{16} of the initial activity.
  • AA0=116=(12)4\frac{A}{A_0} = \frac{1}{16} = \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^4.
  • Comparing exponents, the number of half-lives n=4n = 4.
  1. Calculate Total Time (tt):
  • The total time elapsed is the number of half-lives multiplied by the half-life period (T1/2T_{1/2}).
  • t=n×T1/2=4×20 minutest = n \times T_{1/2} = 4 \times 20 \text{ minutes}.
  • t=80 minutest = 80 \text{ minutes}.

Exam Context & Concepts Covered

This question aligns with the NEET PHYSICS syllabus, specifically targeting concepts from NUCLEI. Mastering this topic is crucial for scoring well in the upcoming medical entrance examinations. Solving conceptually related problems will help you understand the nuances of these concepts and improve your problem-solving speed.

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