IB skill practice

Model radioactive decay and half-life

Paper 1, Paper 2 5 marks Difficulty 4

Remaining nuclei after half-lives

A source in a medical imaging detector test starts with \(2400\) undecayed nuclei. Its half-life is \(11\,\text{h}\). Calculate nuclei remaining after \(3\) half-lives. Enter the numerical result and choose the interpretation that matches the quantum or nuclear physics.

Worked practice: physics data and result

Read the physical quantities first, then calculate the result and state what it means.