Calculating radioactivity after a period of time

In summary, to calculate the activity of Metastron after 6 months, we use the equation N = N0e-λt with N0 = 148 MBq, t = 183 days, and λ = 0.013726, taking into account both the physical and biological half-lives. This gives an answer of 11.92 MBq.
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Homework Statement



QUESTION
A cancer patient is typically given an intravenous dose of Metastron with an activity of
148 MBq.
Calculate the activity after 6 months (183 days).

PREVIOUS INFORMATION
Physical half-life of Metastron = 50.5 days
Biological half-life of Metastron = 1.8x104 days



Homework Equations



T1/2 = [itex]\frac{ln2}{λ}[/itex]

[itex]\frac{ΔN}{Δt}[/itex] = λN

N = N0e-λt



The Attempt at a Solution



The equation used to calculate the activity would be
N = N0e-λt

N0 = 148MBq
t = 183days

So I just need to find λ. - This is where I think I am going wrong.

λ = [itex]\frac{ln2}{T}[/itex]
λ = [itex]\frac{0.693}{50.5days}[/itex]
λ = 1.59x10-7

Substituting this into the first equation gets...

N = N0e-λt
N = 148 e-(1.59x10-7) x 183
N = 147.996MBq
N = 148MBq

The correct answer is (apparently) 11.95MBq.
Seeing as all values are in MBq and days, I don't think I have to convert to Bq and seconds (actually even if I do convert I still get an incorrect answer).
Therefore I think I am stuffing up at my calculation of λ. But I don't see any other way in which I can calculate it. Am I correct in thinking this is where I am going wrong?
 
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  • #2
  1. You are pressing the wrong buttons on your calculator: ## \frac{ln2}{50.5} \approx 0.013726 ## which would give an answer of 12.01MBq.
  2. You are ignoring the biological half life; treating this correctly gives an answer of 11.92MBq if 6 months is taken as 183 days, or 12.00MBq after 365/2 = 182.5 days.
 

FAQ: Calculating radioactivity after a period of time

What is radioactivity and why is it important to calculate?

Radioactivity is the spontaneous emission of particles or energy from an unstable atomic nucleus. It is important to calculate because it allows us to measure the amount of radioactive material present and determine its potential impact on human health and the environment.

What is the half-life of a radioactive substance?

The half-life of a radioactive substance is the amount of time it takes for half of the initial amount of the substance to decay into a stable form. It is a constant value for each substance and is used to calculate the rate of decay.

How do you calculate the amount of radioactivity after a certain period of time?

The amount of radioactivity after a period of time can be calculated using the formula: A=A0(1/2)t/t1/2, where A is the final amount, A0 is the initial amount, t is the time elapsed, and t1/2 is the half-life.

What units are used to measure radioactivity?

Radioactivity is measured in becquerels (Bq) or curies (Ci). Becquerels are the international standard unit, with 1 Bq equal to 1 decay per second. Curie is the older, non-SI unit, with 1 Ci equal to 3.7 x 1010 decays per second.

How does the rate of decay change over time?

The rate of decay of a radioactive substance decreases over time as the amount of the substance decreases. This is due to the fact that as more of the substance decays, there are fewer atoms left to decay. Therefore, the rate of decay is not constant and decreases exponentially over time.

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