Name: Anonymous 2007-06-11 8:27 ID:ts1hS1NC
I want to work out the total amount of radiation something will give off in it's whole-time, knowing it's halflife. I can't remember simple calculus stuff, but it's ok coz i seem to remember there was a simple rule:
the rule went something like:
("starting radioactivity" * half-life * 2) * 2/3 = total amount of radiation given off over whole-life.
where "starting radioactivity" is the amount of radiation it's giving off at the start (Per whatever unit of time the Half-Life is also given in).
Anyone else remember what that rule was?
say if you have something that gives off Y Joules of heat every hour. And it has a half-life of 60 hours. How much heat will this thing give off in it's lifetime? About 80 Y?
the rule went something like:
("starting radioactivity" * half-life * 2) * 2/3 = total amount of radiation given off over whole-life.
where "starting radioactivity" is the amount of radiation it's giving off at the start (Per whatever unit of time the Half-Life is also given in).
Anyone else remember what that rule was?
say if you have something that gives off Y Joules of heat every hour. And it has a half-life of 60 hours. How much heat will this thing give off in it's lifetime? About 80 Y?