A radioactive sample has a half-life of 3 hours. After 6 hours, what fraction remains?

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Multiple Choice

A radioactive sample has a half-life of 3 hours. After 6 hours, what fraction remains?

Explanation:
Radioactive decay scales by halves every half-life. The amount left after time t is N = N0 × (1/2)^(t / T_half). Here T_half is 3 hours, and t is 6 hours, so t / T_half = 2. The remaining fraction is (1/2)^2 = 1/4. So a quarter remains after 6 hours. Intuitively, you halve once in 3 hours, and halve again in the next 3 hours.

Radioactive decay scales by halves every half-life. The amount left after time t is N = N0 × (1/2)^(t / T_half). Here T_half is 3 hours, and t is 6 hours, so t / T_half = 2. The remaining fraction is (1/2)^2 = 1/4. So a quarter remains after 6 hours. Intuitively, you halve once in 3 hours, and halve again in the next 3 hours.

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