plutonium-239 is a radioactive isotope commonly used as fuel in nuclear reactors. the half-life of plutonium-239 is 24,100 years. about how long would it take 504 grams of plutonium-239 to decay until there were only 63 grams plutonium-239 left?

72,300 years.

Explanation:

What's the ratio between the current and the initial mass of this sample? In other words, what fraction of the initial sample hasn't yet decayed?

.

The value of this fraction starts at 1 decreases to 1/2 of its initial value after every half-life. How many times shall 1/2 be multiplied to 1 before reaching 1/8? . It takes three half-lives or years to reach that value.

In certain questions the denominator of the fraction is large. It might not even be an integer power of 2. The base-x logarithm function on calculators could help. Evaluate

to find the number of half-lives required. In case the base-x logarithm function isn't available, but the natural logarithm function is, apply the following expression (derived from the base-changing formula) to get the same result:

.

72,300 years.

Explanation:

c

explanation: