What is the half-life of cesium-137?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the half-life of cesium-137, which refers to the time it takes for half of a sample of this radioactive isotope to decay.
Answer
30.17 years
The half-life of cesium-137 is approximately 30.17 years.
Answer for screen readers
The half-life of cesium-137 is approximately 30.17 years.
More Information
Cesium-137 is widely utilized in medical and industrial fields. Its half-life means that it takes about 30.17 years for half the amount of cesium-137 to decay.
Tips
Commonly people might confuse biological half-life with physical half-life. Ensure you refer to the correct type based on context.
Sources
- Caesium-137 - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
- Cesium-137 | Radiation Emergencies - CDC - cdc.gov
- Radionuclide Basics: Cesium-137 | US EPA - epa.gov