Tritium is a radioactive nucleide with a half life of 4500 days, determine the time for 90% of it to decay.

We know that the number of undecayed nuclei, N, is given by N=N0e-lambda t. From this, by setting N=N0/2 we know at this point that t= T0.5 (the half life) and can show that lambda =ln(2)/T0.5 . Hence we can calculate lambda as 1.54 x10-4 days-1. Now using the original form by setting N=0.1N0 we can get t = -ln(0.1)/lambda=14952 days.

LC
Answered by Luke C. Physics tutor

3133 Views

See similar Physics IB tutors

Related Physics IB answers

All answers ▸

What are elastic and inelastic collisions? After a head on elastic collision of two balls of mass m1 and m2, deduce an equation relating the final and initial velocities of both balls.


What is the difference between the centripetal acceleration and the centrifugal force?


How can an object in circular motion be accelerating when it's at the same speed?


What's the value of the normal force of a vehicle on a convex bridge? What about a concave one?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact usWhatsapp logoMessage us on Whatsapptelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences