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NUCLEAR PHYSICS

 

Derivations

 

Radioactive Decay

 

Lambda(λ) the Decay Constant and exponential decay

 

 

It may be the case that this derivation is not required by your particular syllabus. However, understanding how equations are derived from first principles will give you a deeper understanding of physics. This indirectly will probably lead to a better result.

 

 

The rate of decay(activity, A) is proportional to the number of parent nuclei(N) present.

 

 

derivation of radioactivity equation

 

 

λ(lambda) is a positive constant called the decay constant. It has the unit s-1 .

 

The minus sign is included because N decreases as the time t in seconds (s) increases .

 

 

derivation of radioactivity equation #02

 

 

 

 

 

 

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