Based on the analysis of the provided decay curve for Mercury-203, the half-life of the isotope can be determined.
The half-life is defined as the time required for half of a radioactive substance to decay. On this graph, which plots the percentage of the parent isotope remaining against elapsed time in days, the half-life corresponds to the point where 50% of the original material remains.
Here is the step-by-step solution:
1.
Identify the 50% mark: The y-axis represents the "Mercury-203 parent isotope (%)" and is marked in increments of 10%. The 50% level is the horizontal grid line halfway between the 40% and 60% marks.
2.
Locate the intersection: By tracing the red decay curve from left to right, we find that it intersects the 50% horizontal line at a specific point on the x-axis.
3.
Read the corresponding time: The x-axis represents "Elapsed time (in days)". The major vertical grid lines correspond to 10-day intervals (e.g., 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, etc.). The point where the curve crosses the 50% mark falls exactly halfway between the 40-day and 60-day grid lines.
Therefore, the half-life of Mercury-203, as determined from this graph, is
50 days.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of half life graph worksheet.
