Physics IGCSE question
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simply_a_ Δ
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#1
So one of the questions included "define half life" (2 marks)
I put "the time it takes for half the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"... would you say that makes sense and would be able to gain the 2 marks?
I put "the time it takes for half the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"... would you say that makes sense and would be able to gain the 2 marks?
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#2
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
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Neymar27
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#3
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#3
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#4
(Original post by Neymar27)
What about 'time taken for half the mass of a radioactive isotope to decay'?
What about 'time taken for half the mass of a radioactive isotope to decay'?
"The half - life t(1/2) of an isotope is the average time taken for half of the active nuclei to decay".
If you are not satisisfied look at a past exam question in your exam board and look at the mark scheme answer, you will be sorted then

Its not mass though is it? I thought it was radioactive matter smh
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Neymar27
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#5
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
I quote from my revision guide:
"The half - life t(1/2) of an isotope is the average time taken for half of the active nuclei to decay".
If you are not satisisfied look at a past exam question in your exam board and look at the mark scheme answer, you will be sorted then
Its not mass though is it? I thought it was radioactive matter smh
I quote from my revision guide:
"The half - life t(1/2) of an isotope is the average time taken for half of the active nuclei to decay".
If you are not satisisfied look at a past exam question in your exam board and look at the mark scheme answer, you will be sorted then

Its not mass though is it? I thought it was radioactive matter smh
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simply_a_ Δ
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#6
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
Wait, would this definition work "the time it takes for the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"?
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#7
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#7
(Original post by simply_a_ Δ)
Yep I'm doing edexcel :\
Wait, would this definition work "the time it takes for the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"?
Yep I'm doing edexcel :\
Wait, would this definition work "the time it takes for the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"?
Yes I would agree with that.
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Neymar27
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#8
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
Yes I would agree with that.
Yes I would agree with that.
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#9
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#9
(Original post by Neymar27)
I found a definition though for it being 'mass' in the Pearson textbook
I found a definition though for it being 'mass' in the Pearson textbook
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Neymar27
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#10
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
I am doing Physics A2, so maybe the definition is different. Look at a past exam question for your exam board and see what the mark scheme says the definition is.
I am doing Physics A2, so maybe the definition is different. Look at a past exam question for your exam board and see what the mark scheme says the definition is.
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#11
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#11
(Original post by Neymar27)
I'll just leave it lol, incase it's wrong and I then think I've gone down even more lol
I'll just leave it lol, incase it's wrong and I then think I've gone down even more lol
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simply_a_ Δ
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#12
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
Yes I would agree with that.
Yes I would agree with that.
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Neymar27
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#14
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#14
(Original post by simply_a_ Δ)
Thank you for the reply :P as you can tell, I still haven't fully grasped the definition of half life and I'm doing paper 2 IGCSE in a couple of weeks xD
Thank you for the reply :P as you can tell, I still haven't fully grasped the definition of half life and I'm doing paper 2 IGCSE in a couple of weeks xD
The good thing about half life is that the "half" in its name is relevant to the definition, just
(Original post by Neymar27)
Thanks, and im doing IGCSE Edexcel btw
Thanks, and im doing IGCSE Edexcel btw
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judezeitoun
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#15
(Original post by Neymar27)
I found a definition though for it being 'mass' in the Pearson textbook
I found a definition though for it being 'mass' in the Pearson textbook
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turn-to-page394
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#16
(Original post by simply_a_ Δ)
So one of the questions included "define half life" (2 marks)I put "the time it takes for half the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"... would you say that makes sense and would be able to gain the 2 marks?
So one of the questions included "define half life" (2 marks)I put "the time it takes for half the radioactivity of the radioactive material to half"... would you say that makes sense and would be able to gain the 2 marks?
The time taken (1) for the activity of the radioactive sample to half (1)
The time taken (1) for half of the nuclei / atoms / isotopes to decay (1)

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simply_a_ Δ
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#17
(Original post by turn-to-page394)
For igcse edexcel, the mark scheme from past papers gave these definitions:
The time taken (1) for the activity of the radioactive sample to half (1)
The time taken (1) for half of the nuclei / atoms / isotopes to decay (1)
Good luck for the exam btw
For igcse edexcel, the mark scheme from past papers gave these definitions:
The time taken (1) for the activity of the radioactive sample to half (1)
The time taken (1) for half of the nuclei / atoms / isotopes to decay (1)


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turn-to-page394
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#18
(Original post by simply_a_ Δ)
Oh wow! Thank you for finding the time to look through the markscheme
Oh wow! Thank you for finding the time to look through the markscheme


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Zakariyam10
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#19
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#19
(Original post by Damien_Dalgaard)
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
No, the answer is:
The time taken for the amount of radioactive decay to decrease by half
OR
The time taken for half of the radioactive decay present to decay.
With respect, you seem to have waffled, and your definition could be interpreted to mean HALF of the half life!
Look in the cgp guide :d
You doing edexcel?
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Damien_Dalgaard
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#20
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#20
(Original post by Zakariyam10)
the time taken for half the amount of radioactive atom to decay
the time taken for half the amount of radioactive atom to decay
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