Which is the BEST definition of Half-Life?
a
The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of time it takes for half of the initial quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance.
b
The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of matter it takes for all of the quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance.
c
The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of energy it takes for all of the initial quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance.
The best definition of Half-Life is: "The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of time it takes for half of the initial quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance."
The best definition of Half-Life is option (a): The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of time it takes for half of the initial quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance.
The best definition of half-life is option a: "The half-life of a substance or element is the amount of time it takes for half of the initial quantity of that substance or element to decay or transform into another substance."
To understand why this definition is correct, we need to understand the concept of half-life in the context of radioactive decay. The half-life refers to the time it takes for the number of radioactive atoms in a sample to decrease by half.
In option a, it correctly states that half-life is a measure of time. It specifically mentions the "amount of time it takes for half of the initial quantity" to decay or transform. This means that after one half-life period, half of the original substance or element will have decayed or transformed into another substance.
Option b is incorrect because it states that the entire quantity of the substance or element will decay or transform within one half-life. This is not true, as only half of the initial quantity does so.
Option c is also incorrect because it refers to the amount of energy required for decay or transformation. While energy may play a role in certain processes, it is not directly related to the concept of half-life.
Therefore, option a is the best definition of half-life.