A physicist uses a radiation detector to measure the activity of a radioactive sample.
The initial measurement displays a count rate of 1200 counts/min. After a period of 20 hours, the physicist takes another measurement and records a count rate of 75 counts/min.
Calculate the half-life of the radioactive sample.
484 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE Physics 5.2 Radioactivity, covering 5.2.1 Background radiation and measuring count rate, 5.2.2a Alpha, beta and gamma emission, 5.2.2b Deflection and ionising effects of nuclear radiation, 5.2.3a Radioactive decay, 5.2.3b Effects of decay on the nucleus and decay equations, 5.2.4a Half-life, 5.2.4b Choosing isotopes for applications, and 5.2.5 Effects of ionising radiation and safety precautions. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.