Answer to Question #330167 in Calculus for Rayat

Question

Determine the half-life of the radioactive substance

Answer 1

By definition, the half-life of the radioactive substance is the interval of time required for one-half of the atomic nuclei of a radioactive sample to decay (change spontaneously into other nuclear species by emitting particles and energy).

The formula is the following:

$$T_{1/2} = \dfrac{t}{\log_2\left( N_0/N \right)}$$

where $T_{1/2}$ is the half-life of a substance, $N_0$ is the initial number of atoms, $N$ is the amount of atoms left in substance after time $t$