Answer :
Final answer:
The decay of cesium-137 can be modeled by exponential decay. It takes 30 years for the amount of cesium-137 to decay by half. Therefore, the number of years required for 26mg of cesium-137 to decay to 13mg is 30 years.
Explanation:
Radioactive refers to the property of certain materials or substances to emit radiation spontaneously. This radiation can take the form of particles or electromagnetic waves and is the result of the decay of unstable atomic nuclei. Radioactive decay is a random process, and it occurs when the nucleus of an atom becomes unstable and seeks a more stable configuration.
The decay of a radioactive substance can be modeled by exponential decay. In the case of cesium-137, the half-life is approximately 30 years. This means that half of the initial amount of cesium-137 will decay every 30 years. So, to find the number of years required for 26mg to decay to 13mg, we need to determine how many half-lives have occurred. Let's start with the initial amount of 26mg. After 30 years, half of it will decay, leaving us with 13mg. This means that 1 half-life has occurred. Therefore, the answer is 30 years.
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