A radioactive sample has a half-life of 28.1 y. If 98.0 Bq of the sample were allowed to decay for 27.0 y, what would the activity of the remaining sample be?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The activity of a radioactive sample decreases over time according to the formula A = A0 * (1/2)^(t/T), where A0 is the initial activity, t is the time elapsed, and T is the half-life. For this problem, A0 = 98.0 Bq, t = 27.0 y, and T = 28.1 y. Plugging in these values, A = 98.0 * (1/2)^(27.0/28.1) ≈ 50.4 Bq.

A Radioactive Sample Has a Half-Life of 28