Question

1. fermium - 253 has a half - life of 3 days. use color to represent a sample of 8 atoms of fermium - 253 initially, after 1 half - life, and after 2 half - lives. use one color for fermium - 253, and a different color for the new element it decays into.

0 half - lives = ____ days
1 half - life = ____ days
2 half - lives = ____ days

Explanation:

Step1: Calculate days for 0 half - lives

Since 0 half - lives have passed, the number of days is \(0\times3 = 0\) days.

Step2: Calculate days for 1 half - life

Given the half - life is 3 days, for 1 half - life, the number of days is \(1\times3=3\) days.

Step3: Calculate days for 2 half - lives

For 2 half - lives, using the formula \(n\times t_{1/2}\) (where \(n = 2\) and \(t_{1/2}=3\) days), we get \(2\times3 = 6\) days.

Answer:

0 half - lives = \(0\) days, 1 half - life = \(3\) days, 2 half - lives = \(6\) days.