Which of the following best describes the possible range of half-lives for radioactive isotopes?

• A. Only from a few seconds to a few hours
• B. From fractions of a second to billions of years
• C. Only from a few milliseconds to a few minutes
• D. Only from a few years to a few centuries

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the half-life of a radioactive isotope is the time required for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.
2. Recognize that half-lives vary widely among different isotopes due to differences in nuclear stability.
3. Recall that some isotopes decay extremely quickly, with half-lives less than a second, while others are very stable and have half-lives that span billions of years.
4. Compare the given options and note that the only choice encompassing the full possible range—from fractions of a second to billions of years—is the correct description.
5. Conclude that the range of half-lives for radioactive isotopes is not limited to short or moderate timescales but extends across many orders of magnitude, from fractions of a second to billions of years.