A radioactive sample consists of two distinct species having equal number of atoms initially. The mean life time of one species is τ and that of the other is $$5$$τ. The decay products in both cases are stable. A plot is made of the total number of radioactive nuclei as a function of time. Which of the following figures best represents the form of this plot?

Question

A radioactive sample consists of two distinct species having equal number of atoms initially. The mean life time of one species is τ and that of the other is $$5$$τ. The decay products in both cases are stable. A plot is made of the total number of radioactive nuclei as a function of time. Which of the following figures best represents the form of this plot?

Infinity Learn · Accepted Answer

The total number of atoms neither remains constant (as$$ in option $$(a) nor can ever increase (as$$ in option $$(b) and (c)). They will continuously decrease with time. Therefore option (d) is correct.

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