The Half-Life of Cobalt-60 Is $5.3$ Years, While That of Strontium-90 Is About 29 Years

question 130

Multiple Choice

The half-life of cobalt-60 is $5.3$ years, while that of strontium-90 is about 29 years. Suppose you have samples of both isotopes, and that they initially have the same activity (number of decays per second) . What must be true of the numbers of cobalt-60 and strontium-90 nuclei in these samples?

• A) There are more strontium-90 than cobalt-60 nuclei.
• B) There are more cobalt-60 than strontium-90 nuclei.
• C) There are equal numbers of cobalt-60 and strontium-90 nuclei.
• D) It is not possible to compare numbers of nuclei without knowing the masses of the samples.

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Definitions:

Security Market Line

A representation in the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) showing the relationship between expected return and systematic risk.

Risk Premium

The extra return expected by an investor for holding a risky asset instead of a risk-free asset.

Expected Return

The average return an investor anticipates on an investment which is uncertain, based on the probable returns.