Seaborgium-266 has a half-life of 30 seconds. How many half-lives will pass in 30 minutes?

• A. 60
• B. 90
• C. 30
• D. 15

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given information: the half-life of Seaborgium-266 is 30 seconds, and the total time period is 30 minutes.
2. Convert the total time from minutes to seconds to have consistent units. Since 1 minute = 60 seconds, multiply 30 minutes by 60 seconds/minute.
3. Calculate the total number of seconds in 30 minutes using the conversion.
4. Determine the number of half-lives by dividing the total time in seconds by the half-life duration (30 seconds). Use the formula: \(\text{Number of half-lives} = \frac{\text{Total time (s)}}{\text{Half-life (s)}}\).
5. Interpret the result as the number of half-lives that will pass in 30 minutes.