Posted by JohnX2 on April 5, 2002, at 19:24:10
In reply to EE-GADS! No, it can't be 6, 7, etc. because: » JohnX2, posted by Janelle on April 5, 2002, at 19:16:48
I don't know who says that "1/32" is some magical barrier? Why not 1/64 , 1/128 ?For 1/32 you DO need exactly 5 half lives.
John
> It has been stated on here numerous places that it takes FIVE half-lives to effectively eliminate a drug from the body.
>
> How did this number of FIVE half-lives to eliminate a drug become a *given* - did someone somehow figure out that it takes 5 half-lives to eliminate a drug?
>
> Next, using 5 as a *given*, how could you plug 6, 7 or whatever number into your example of:
>
> so for 5 , 1/2 lifes:
>
> we have:
> 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 = 1 / (32) = 1 / ( 2 ^ 5) = 2 ^ -5
>
> If you did 1/2 *1/2 for 6,7,8, whatever number of times you would not get the 1/32 answer that is the amount of the drug left after 5 half-lives.
>
> Ack, this is bugging me out!
poster:JohnX2
thread:101843
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020402/msgs/102075.html