Question detail
What happens to the count rate of a radioactive sample after one half-life?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
Atoms and nuclear radiation
Question
- A. It doubles
- B. It remains the same
- C. It halves
- D. It increases by a fixed amount
Answer
The correct answer is C: It halves.
Explanation
The correct answer is C: It halves. This supports the learning objective "Define half-life as the time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei in a sample to halve." in Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay because it uses the correct atomic and nuclear radiation relationship for Atoms and nuclear radiation. The other options are less suitable because they do not match the required Half-lives and the random nature of radioactive decay idea: It doubles; It remains the same; It increases by a fixed amount.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Half-Life Definition
Students often confuse half-life with the time taken for the entire sample to decay, rather than the time for half of the radioactive nuclei to decay.
Emphasize that half-life specifically refers to the time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay, not the entire sample.
Related flashcards
Flashcard 1 of 5
Related practice questions
Question 1 of 5
Choose an answer, get feedback, then move sideways through the set.