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soopo
Apr15-09, 10:47 AM
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
The initial activity of I_131 is 0.74MBq.
The half time of I_131 is 8 days.

How large is the activity after two days?


2. Relevant equations

A = A_0 e^{-\lambda t}


3. The attempt at a solution

We know
t = 2 days
A_0 = 0.74 MBq
T_0.5 = 8 days

1. Solve the activity constant
\lambda = ln2 / T_0.5

2. Plug it to the equation
A = A_0 e^{(-ln2 / T_0.5) * t}

I standardise the units to SI and then omit/cancel them
A = 0.74E6 * e^{-ln2 / 4}
= 6.22E5 Bq

---

The right answer is 0.4 times what I get
A = 0.4 * 6.22E5 Bq
= 250 kBq

I am not sure where the 0.4 is got.

soopo
Apr15-09, 10:55 AM
1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
The initial activity of I_131 is 0.74MBq.
The half time of I_131 is 8 days.

How large is the activity after two days?


2. Relevant equations

A = A_0 e^{-\lambda t}


3. The attempt at a solution

We know
t = 2 days
A_0 = 0.74 MBq
T_0.5 = 8 days

1. Solve the activity constant
\lambda = ln2 / T_0.5

2. Plug it to the equation
A = A_0 e^{(-ln2 / T_0.5) * t}

I standardise the units to SI and then omit/cancel them
A = 0.74E6 * e^{-ln2 / 4}
= 6.22E5 Bq

---

The right answer is 0.4 times what I get
A = 0.4 * 6.22E5 Bq
= 250 kBq

I am not sure where the 0.4 is got.

The problem is now solved.

There is the following sentence two pages before the exercise
"Only 40% of the activity in a human is of the form I_131"