Calculating the Number of Nuclei in a Decaying Isotope Sample

How do you calculate the number of nuclei present in a decaying isotope sample?

What is the formula used to determine the number of nuclei in the sample after a certain period of time?

Answer:

To calculate the number of nuclei present in the sample after a certain time, you can use the formula N = N0 x (1/2)^(t/T1/2).

When dealing with decaying isotopes, it is important to understand how to calculate the number of nuclei present in a sample at any given time. The formula N = N0 x (1/2)^(t/T1/2) is commonly used for this purpose.

In this formula, N represents the number of nuclei present at a specific time, N0 is the initial number of nuclei, t is the time elapsed, and T1/2 is the half-life of the isotope. By plugging in the appropriate values, you can determine the approximate number of nuclei in the sample.

For example, if you know the half-life of the isotope and the time that has passed since the measurement, you can easily calculate the number of nuclei present at that moment using the formula mentioned above.