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The half-life period and the mean life period of a radioactive element are denoted respectively by Th and Tm. ThenTh=TmTh>TmTh<TmTh≥Tm

Question

The half-life period and the mean life period of a radioactive element are denoted respectively by Th and Tm. Then

  • Th = Tm
  • Th > Tm
  • Th < Tm
  • Th ≥ Tm
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Solution

To address the question regarding the relationship between the half-life period (ThT_h) and the mean life period (TmT_m) of a radioactive element, let’s analyze the concepts and mathematical relationships involved.

Explanation of Terms

  1. Half-Life (ThT_h): This is the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.
  2. Mean Life (TmT_m): This is the average lifetime of a particle before it decays; it's generally calculated as the expected value of the lifetime of a particle.

Relevant Concepts

The relationship between half-life and mean life is mathematically defined. For a radioactive decay process, the mean life (TmT_m) is given by the formula:

Tm=Thln(2) T_m = \frac{T_h}{\ln(2)}

where ln(2)\ln(2) is the natural logarithm of 2, which approximately equals 0.693.

Analysis of The Relationship

  1. Substituting the Relationship: From the equation Tm=Thln(2)T_m = \frac{T_h}{\ln(2)}, we can infer that:

    Th=Tmln(2) T_h = T_m \cdot \ln(2)

  2. Comparison: Since ln(2)0.693\ln(2) \approx 0.693, it follows that:

    Th<Tm T_h < T_m

This means that the half-life (ThT_h) of a radioactive substance is always less than its mean life (TmT_m).

Verification and Summary

From the derived relationship, we conclude that half-life is always shorter than mean life for any radioactive substance. Thus, we can summarize the relationship as:

Th<Tm T_h < T_m

Final Answer

Based on these calculations and analyses, the correct relationship is:

Th<Tm T_h < T_m

This implies that the half-life period is less than the mean life period.

This problem has been solved

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