Question

PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS ONE QUESTION

The half-life of Barium-139 is 4.96 x 10^3 seconds. A sample contains 3.21 x 10^17 nuclei. What is the decay constant for this decay?

Answer 1

`\lambda=1.39* 10^(-4)\ s^(-1)`

Step-by-step explanation:

Given that,

The half-life of Barium-139 is
`4.96* 10^3`

A sample contains
`3.21* 10^(17)` nuclei.

We need to find the decay constant for this decay. The formula for half life is given by :

`T_(1/2)=(0.693)/(\lambda)\\\\\lambda=(0.693)/(T_(1/2))`

Put all the values,

`\lambda=(0.693)/(4.96* 10^3)\\\\=1.39* 10^(-4)\ s^(-1)`

So, the decay constant is
`1.39* 10^(-4)\ s^(-1)`.