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MHT CET 2026 (19 May, Shift 2) · Law of Radioactive Decay

Law of Radioactive Decay question from MHT CET 2026 (19 May, Shift 2)

Q13MHT CET 2026 · 19 MAY · SHIFT 2Medium

Law of Radioactive Decay

A radioactive nucleus X with a half-life TT, decays into a nucleus Y. At t=0t = 0, there is no nucleus Y. After some time 'tt', the ratio of the number of Y to that of X is 0.40.4. Then, 'tt' is

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Answer: (b)

  1. NX=N0e−λtN_X = N_0 e^{-\lambda t}, NY=N0(1−e−λt)N_Y = N_0(1 - e^{-\lambda t}).
  2. NYNX=eλt−1=0.4⇒eλt=1.4\frac{N_Y}{N_X} = e^{\lambda t} - 1 = 0.4 \Rightarrow e^{\lambda t} = 1.4.
  3. t=ln⁡1.4λ=Tln⁡1.4ln⁡2=Tlog⁡(1.4)log⁡(2)t = \frac{\ln 1.4}{\lambda} = \frac{T \ln 1.4}{\ln 2} = \frac{T\log(1.4)}{\log(2)}.
  4. So the answer is (b).
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