Radioactive Decay and Activity?

February 242010

Iodine 131 over 53(i) is used in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in the treatment of thyroid disorders. This isotope has a half-life of 8.04 days. What percentage of an initial sample of remains after 36.5 days?
_______%

After 8.04 days 1/2 of it remains
after 16.8 days 1/4 remains
after 24.84 days 1/8 remains
and so on….

How do you figure how much remains after 36.5 days?

the fraction remaining will be given by

A/Ao = e^(-0.693t/T)

where
Ao = the original amount
T = the half life
t = the time
A = the amount left after time t
e = the exponential function

For this problem

A/Ao = e^(-0.693*36.5/8.04) = 0.043020347

A = 4.3 % of Ao

One Response

  1. Sir James Says:

    After 8.04 days 1/2 of it remains
    after 16.8 days 1/4 remains
    after 24.84 days 1/8 remains
    and so on….

    How do you figure how much remains after 36.5 days?

    the fraction remaining will be given by

    A/Ao = e^(-0.693t/T)

    where
    Ao = the original amount
    T = the half life
    t = the time
    A = the amount left after time t
    e = the exponential function

    For this problem

    A/Ao = e^(-0.693*36.5/8.04) = 0.043020347

    A = 4.3 % of Ao
    References :

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