Final answer:
The rate of change in the mass of the sample can be determined by finding the derivative of the function that models the relationship between elapsed time and mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rate of change in the mass of the sample can be determined by finding the derivative of the function that models the relationship between elapsed time and mass. To do this, we can use the power rule of differentiation. The derivative of the function m(t) = 540 * (1/8)^(t/2.05) is found by multiplying the constant term, 540, by the natural logarithm of the base, ln(1/8), and then multiplying it by the derivative of the exponent, (1/2.05). This gives us the equation:
m'(t) = 540 * ln(1/8) * (1/2.05) * (1/8)^(t/2.05-1)
By simplifying, we can express the derivative as:
m'(t) = -540 * ln(8) * (1/2.05) * (1/8)^(t/2.05-1)