Thread: Exponential Growth and Decay

Hi, This is my first post, i couldn't find a proper category for my topic, so I'll post it here. having troubles understanding these questions...

I have attached the two questions... thanks. They use the Q = Qo*e^kt and Q = Qo*e^-kt formula structures. Thank you very much in advance.

For your equation

$\displaystyle \displaystyle Q = Q_0e^{kt}$

Substitute the points $\displaystyle \displaystyle (0, Q_0) $ and $\displaystyle \displaystyle \left(1600, \frac{Q_0}{2}\right) $

What do you get?

Originally Posted by pickslides

For your equation

$\displaystyle \displaystyle Q = Q_0e^{kt}$

Substitute the points $\displaystyle \displaystyle (0, Q_0) $ and $\displaystyle \displaystyle \left(1600, \frac{Q_0}{2}\right) $

What do you get?

um sorry? where did you get points from? I've never been taught to get points for these questions?

I found these points from you question.

At t=0 the amount of radioactive material is $\displaystyle Q_0 $ , is this clear why?

Now the meaning of half life is the time taken for the radioactive material to reduced to half of its original self.

From the question, when t=1600 then the initial amount is halved i.e $\displaystyle \frac{Q_0}{2} $

Originally Posted by pickslides

I found these points from you question.

At t=0 the amount of radioactive material is $\displaystyle Q_0 $ , is this clear why?

Now the meaning of half life is the time taken for the radioactive material to reduced to half of its original self.

From the question, when t=1600 then the initial amount is halved i.e $\displaystyle \frac{Q_0}{2} $

ohk, makes sense now, will give it a try. thanks

Originally Posted by MathsBeforeBedtime

ohk, makes sense now, will give it a try. thanks

Good to hear, let us know how you go.

Originally Posted by pickslides

Good to hear, let us know how you go.

turns out I didn't get it. my tutor said for part a), do 500 / 1600 to get 0.3125 = 31%, then just do 50% - 31% = 19%

for part b) my tutor said to go from 100% to 50% that's a half life so it = 1600 years, then to go from 50 to 25% that's another 1600 years and so now we are at 75%. 1600 + 1600 = 3600 years.

turns out you didn't need to use the formula for this question, bit weird. but makes kinda sense this way.

qs 14 I do not know.