지수적 증가와 감소

We know that the amount of Polonium-210 in a sample after $t$ days is given by

$$\begin{aligned} Q(t)&=Ce^{-kt} \\ \text{where $C$ is the original amount of the sample, and $k$ is some positive constant.} \\ \\ \text{The question asks us what percentage of the sample decays in a day. Since $t$ is measured in days, the amount that decays in a day is $Q(t)-Q(t+1)$. The percentage of $Q(t)$ that this represents is $100\dfrac{Q(t)-Q(t+1)}{Q(t)}$. (For example, if there were two grams at time $t$, and one gram at time $t+1$, then $100\dfrac{2-1}{1}=50$: 50\% of the sample decayed in a day.)} \\ \\ \text{In order to simplify, we should figure out a better expression for $Q(t)$. As usual, we make use of the half-life.} \\ Q(138)&=\frac{C}{2}\\ Ce^{-k\cdot138}&=\frac{C}{2}\\ \left(e^{-k}\right)^{138}&=\frac{1}{2}=2^{-1}\\ e^{-k}&=2^{-\tfrac{1}{138}} \\ \text{Now, we have a better formula for $Q(t)$:} \\ Q(t)&=C\left(e^{-k}\right)^t\\ Q(t)&=C\cdot2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}} \\ \text{Finally, we can evaluate what percentage of the sample decays in a day.} \\ 100\frac{Q(t)-Q(t+1)}{Q(t)}&=100\frac{C\cdot2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}}-C\cdot2^{-\tfrac{t+1}{138}}}{C\cdot2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}}}\left(\frac{\frac{1}{C}}{\frac{1}{C}}\right)\\ &=100\frac{2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}}-2^{-\tfrac{t+1}{138}}}{2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}}}\\ &=100\left(2^{-\tfrac{t}{138}}-2^{-\tfrac{t+1}{138}}\right)2^{\tfrac{t}{138}}\\ &=100\left(1-2^{-\tfrac{1}{138}}\right)\approx 0.5 \end{aligned}$$

About 0.5% of the sample decays in a day.

Remark: when we say that half a percent of the sample decays in a day, we don't mean half a percent of the original sample. If a day starts out with, say, 1 microgram, then what decays in the next 24 hours is about half a percent of that 1 microgram, regardless of what the “original" sample (at some time $t=0$) held.

In particular, since the sample is getting smaller and smaller, that half of a percent that decays every day represents fewer and fewer actual atoms decaying. That's why we can't say that half of the sample (50%) will decay after about 100 days, even though 0.5% decays every day and $100\times 0.5 = 50$.

The amount of Uranium-232 in the sample of ore at time $t$ will be

$$\begin{aligned} Q(t)&=Q(0)e^{-kt} \\ \text{where $6.9 \leq Q(0) \leq 7.5$. We don't exactly know $Q(0)$, and we don't exactly know the half-life, so we also won't exactly know $Q(10)$: we can only say that is it between two numbers. Our strategy is to find the highest and lowest possible values of $Q(10)$, given the information in the problem.} \\ \\ \text{In order for the most possible Uranium-232 to be in the sample after 10 years, we should start with the most and have the longest half-life (since this represents the slowest decay). So, we take $Q(0)=7.5$ and $Q(70)=\frac{1}{2}(7.5)$.} \\ Q(t)&=7.5e^{-kt}\\ \frac{1}{2}(7.5)=Q(70)&=7.5e^{-k(70)}\\ \frac{1}{2}&=\left(e^{-k}\right)^{70}\\ 2^{-\tfrac{1}{70}}&=e^{-k} \\ \text{So, in this secenario,} \\ Q(t)&=7.5\cdot 2^{-\tfrac{t}{70}} \\ \text{After ten years,} \\ Q(10)&=7.5\cdot 2^{-\tfrac{10}{70}}\approx 6.79 \\ \text{So after ten years, the sample contains \textit{at most} 6.8 $\mu$g.} \\ \\ \text{Now, let's think about the least possible amount of Uranium-232 that could be left after 10 years. We should start with as little as possible, so take $Q(0)=6.9$, and the sample should decay quickly, so take the half-life to be 68.8 years.} \\ Q(t)&=6.9e^{-kt}\\ \frac{1}{2}6.9=Q(68.8)&=6.9e^{-k(68.8)}\\ \frac{1}{2}&=\left(e^{-k}\right)^{68.8}\\ 2^{-\tfrac{1}{68.8}}&=e^{-k} \\ \text{In this scenario,} \\ Q(t)&=6.9\cdot 2^{-\tfrac{t}{68.8}} \\ \text{After ten years,} \\ Q(10)&=6.9\cdot 2^{-\tfrac{10}{68.8}}\approx 6.24 \\ \text{So after ten years, the sample contains \textit{at least} 6.2 $\mu$g.} \\ \end{aligned}$$

After ten years, the sample contains between 6.2 and 6.8 $\mu$g of Uranium-232.