Example 1: If gallium – 68 has a half-life of 68.3 minutes, how much of a 160.

0 mg sample is left
after
1 half life? 80 mg
2half lives? 40 mg
3 half lives? 20 mg

Example 2: Iron-59 is used in medicine to diagnose blood circulation disorders. The half-life of
iron-59 is 44.5 days. How much of a 2.000 mg sample will remain after 133.5 days?

t
1
N ( t ) =N o ()
2
t 1 /2

→
133.5
1 1 3
N (t )=2,000 mg
2 () 44.5
→2,000 mg ()
2
=250 mg

A sample of 3x107 Radon atoms are trapped in a basement that is sealed. The half-life of Radon
is 3.83 days. How many radon atoms are left after 31 days ?

31
1
N (t )=( 3 x 1 07 ) ()
2
3.83
=1.098 x 105 atoms