Write and derive the law of radioactivity decay.
"In any radioactive sample, which undergoes $\alpha, \beta$ or $\gamma$-decay, it is found that the number of nuclei undergoing the decay per unit time is proportional to the total number of nuclei in the sample".
If $\mathrm{N}$ is the number of nuclei in the sample and $\Delta \mathrm{N}$ undergo decay in time $\Delta t$ then $\frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t} \propto \mathrm{N}$
The number $\Delta \mathrm{N}$ of the decaying nucleus is always positive, $\therefore \frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t}=\lambda \mathrm{N}$
where $\lambda$ is called decay constant or disintegration constant. If the period $\Delta t$ corresponds to zero,
$\lim _{\Delta t \rightarrow 0} \frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t}=-\lambda \mathrm{N}$
$\therefore-\frac{d \mathrm{~N}}{d t}=\lambda \mathrm{N}$$...(1)$
where $d \mathrm{~N}$ is the change in $\mathrm{N}$, which may be positive or negative. Here it is negative because as time goes by the number of nucleus remaining will decreases.
Writing equation $(1)$ as follows,
$\frac{d \mathrm{~N}}{\mathrm{~N}}=-\lambda d t$
“In any radioactive sample, which undergoes $\alpha, \beta$ or $\gamma$-decay, it is found that the number of nuclei undergoing the decay per unit time is proportional to the total number of nuclei in the sample".
If $\mathrm{N}$ is the number of nuclei in the sample and $\Delta \mathrm{N}$ undergo decay in time $\Delta t$ then $\frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t} \propto \mathrm{N}$
The number $\Delta \mathrm{N}$ of the decaying nucleus is always positive,
$\therefore \frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t}=\lambda \mathrm{N}$
where $\lambda$ is called decay constant or disintegration constant.
If the period $\Delta t$ corresponds to zero,
$\lim _{\Delta t \rightarrow 0} \frac{\Delta \mathrm{N}}{\Delta t}=-\lambda \mathrm{N}$
$\therefore-\frac{d \mathrm{~N}}{d t}=\lambda \mathrm{N}$
where $d \mathrm{~N}$ is the change in $\mathrm{N}$, which may be positive or negative. Here it is negative because as time goes by the number of nucleus remaining will decreases.
Writing equation $(1)$ as follows,
$\frac{d \mathrm{~N}}{\mathrm{~N}}=-\lambda d t$
Which sample contains greater number of nuclei : a $5.00- \mu Ci$ sample of $_{240}Pu$ (half-life $6560\,y$) or a $4.45 - \mu Ci$ sample of $_{243}Am$ (half-life $7370\, y$)
Half life of radioactive element depends upon
If $T$ is the half life of a radioactive material, then the fraction that would remain after a time $\frac{T}{2}$ is
If half life of a radioactive element is $3\, hours$, after $9\, hours$ its activity becomes
Draw a graph showing the variation of decay rate with number of active nuclei.