Explain what percentage of the parent element will decay into the daughter element through the process of radioactive decay during each of the first 3 half lives?

They are called half lives because half the mother isotope decays down to the daughter isotope during each half life. So, during the first one, 50% will decay. During the second, another 50% of the remaining 50% decays. During the third, 50% of the 50% of the 50% will decay.

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mickymike92 mickymike92 · Answer 2 · 2022-03-18T15:15:39+01:00

Based on the definition of half-life, 87.5% of the parent element will decay into the daughter element after 3 half-lives.

What is Half-Life of a radioactive substance?

The Half-Life of a radioactive substance is the time taken for half the the nucleus of that substance to decay.

After each half-life, half the original amount of the substance remains.

After, three half-lives, amount of parent element remaining = 1/2 × 1/2 × 1/2 = 1/8

Percentage of parent element remaining = 1/8 × 100% = 12.5%

Percentage of parent element decayed = 100% - 12.5% = 87.5%

Therefore, 87.5% of the parent element will decay into the daughter element after 3 half-lives.

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