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Question

Suppose that a radioactive substance decays according to the model N=N0eλtN=N_{0} e^{-\lambda t}. (a) Show that affer a period of Tλ=1/λT_{\lambda}=1 / \lambda, the material has decreased to e1e^{-1} of its original value. TλT_{\lambda} is called the time constant and it is defined by this property. (b) A certain radioactive substance has a half-life of 12 hours. Compute the time constant for this substance. (c) If there are originally 1000 mg of this radioactive substance present, plot the amount of substance remaining over four time periods TλT_{\lambda}.

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Radioactive substance decays accoriding to the next model:

N(t)=N0eλtN(t)=N_0\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda t}

a)\textbf{a)}

Tλ=1λ time constantT_{\lambda}=\frac{1}{\lambda}-\text{ time constant}

Let's look what happend with our radioactive substance after

period of Tλ:\text{period of $T_{\lambda}$:}

N(Tλ)=N0eλTλN(T_{\lambda})=N_0\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda T_{\lambda}}

N(1λ)=N0eλ1λN(\frac{1}{\lambda})=N_0\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda \frac{1}{\lambda}}

N(1λ)=N0e1N(\frac{1}{\lambda})=N_0\mathrm{e}^{-1}

Hence, we have that after period of Tλ, ammount of material\text{Hence, we have that after period of $T_{\lambda}$, ammount of material}

 is reduced to N0e1. So, radioactive material is decreased \text{ is reduced to }N_0\mathrm{e}^{-1}.\text{ So, radioactive material is decreased }

for e1 of its initial value N0.\text{for $\mathrm{e}^{-1}$ of its initial value $N_0$.}

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