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What is Uranium-238's half-life?

  1. 92 years

  2. 4.5 billion years

  3. 458 years

  4. 12.3 years

The correct answer is: 4.5 billion years

Uranium-238 has a half-life of approximately 4.5 billion years, making it one of the most stable isotopes of uranium. This incredibly long half-life signifies that it decays very slowly, which is a crucial factor in various applications such as dating geological formations and assessing the longevity of nuclear waste. The lengthy half-life means that only a fraction of Uranium-238 will decay over a significant period, indicating that it remains present in the environment for an extended time. This characteristic is important in understanding both the behavior of uranium in natural environments and its implications for radiation safety and management.