HalfLife when quantity is not given

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In summary, Tritium is a fuel used in hydrogen bombs to increase their power. It can also be used to promote fission in plutonium atoms, making it useful in basic atom bombs and reactors. Unlike plutonium, tritium decays at a rate of 5.5% per year, making its half-life approximately 12.6 years.
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Homework Statement


"Tritium is the basic fuel of hydrogen bombs and is used to increase the power for fission bombs . . . In a basic atom bomb (or reactor), plutonium atoms are split, or fissioned, to release energy, but the fission can be promoted with a small amount of tritium because it has two extra atom-splitting neutrons. Plutonium is a relatively stable material, and its natural decay is not a major factor in bomb maintenance. Tritium, however, decays at a rate of 5.5 percent a year."
What is half life given the above?

Homework Equations



e^-rt

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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1. What is HalfLife?

HalfLife is a scientific term that refers to the amount of time it takes for half of a substance to decay or undergo a transformation. It is commonly used to describe the rate of radioactive decay.

2. How is HalfLife calculated?

The calculation of HalfLife depends on the specific substance and its rate of decay. In general, it is determined by dividing the natural logarithm of 2 by the decay constant of the substance.

3. Why is HalfLife important in scientific research?

HalfLife is important because it helps scientists understand the rate of decay or transformation of a substance, which can have implications in various fields such as medicine, environmental science, and nuclear physics.

4. Can HalfLife be manipulated or changed?

No, HalfLife is a characteristic property of a substance and cannot be changed or manipulated. It is determined by the inherent properties of the substance itself.

5. How does HalfLife affect the stability of a substance?

The shorter the HalfLife, the less stable a substance is because it undergoes decay or transformation at a faster rate. On the other hand, a longer HalfLife indicates a more stable substance that takes longer to decay.

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