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🧪 Chemistry  ·  Chemical Kinetics  ·  NEET & JEE

For a first-order reaction, the time taken for 99.9% completion is approximately how many half-lives?

Answer: 10 half-lives.

  • A 3 half-lives
  • B 7 half-lives
  • C 10 half-lives
  • D 5 half-lives

Correct answer: C. 10 half-lives

Explanation: 99.9% completion leaves 0.1% (=1/1000) of reactant. Since 2<sup>10</sup> = 1024 is about 1000, this needs about 10 half-lives.

First-Order Decay: Constant Half-Lifetime[A][A]₀[A]₀/22 × t½[A]₀/4Each successive half-life takes the SAME amount of time, regardless of starting concentration

First-order decay curve: concentration halves every t½, and that half-life is constant - a defining test for first-order kinetics.

Concept context

Study the speed of reactions and what affects it: concentration, temperature, and catalysts. Covers rate law, order of reaction, the Arrhenius equation, and reaction mechanisms step by step.

Read the full Chemical Kinetics notes →