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Half-life
Define the half-life of a specific isotope as the duration required for half of the nuclei in a sample of that isotope to decay; recall and apply this definition in straightforward calculations, which may involve data from tables or decay graphs (calculations will exclude background radiation).
3
Objectives
30
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21
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90 min
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CambridgeIGCSEPhysicsNuclear physics
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Half-life outcomes3 objectives
- Define the half-life of a specific isotope as the duration required for half of the nuclei in a sample of that isotope to decay; recall and apply this definition in straightforward calculations, which may involve data from tables or decay graphs (calculations will exclude background radiation).
- Determine the half-life using data or decay graphs that do not account for background radiation.
- Discuss how the type of radiation emitted and the half-life of an isotope influence the choice of isotope for various applications, including: (a) smoke alarms (b) food irradiation to eliminate bacteria (c) sterilization of equipment with gamma rays (d) measuring and controlling material thickness with radiation selection based on penetration and absorption (e) cancer diagnosis and treatment using gamma rays.
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