Enter the initial activity, half-life of the isotope, and the elapsed time into the calculator to determine the corrected activity due to radioactive decay.
Decay Correction Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the corrected activity of a radioactive substance.
A = A0 * (1/2)^{(t/T)}Variables:
- A is the corrected activity (MBq)
- A0 is the initial activity (MBq)
- t is the elapsed time (hours)
- T is the half-life of the isotope (hours)
To calculate the corrected activity, multiply the initial activity by the decay factor, which is (1/2) raised to the power of the elapsed time divided by the half-life of the isotope.
What is Decay Correction?
Decay correction is a process used to calculate the remaining activity of a radioactive substance after a certain period of time has passed. It accounts for the exponential decrease in activity due to the decay of radioactive isotopes. This calculation is crucial in various fields such as nuclear medicine, radiopharmacy, and environmental monitoring to ensure accurate dosage, safety, and compliance with regulations.
How to Calculate Corrected Activity?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Corrected Activity.
- First, determine the initial activity (A0) of the radioactive substance in megabecquerels (MBq).
- Next, determine the half-life (T) of the isotope in hours.
- Next, determine the elapsed time (t) since the initial activity measurement in hours.
- Next, gather the formula from above = A = A0 * (1/2)^(t/T).
- Finally, calculate the Corrected Activity (A) in megabecquerels (MBq).
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
Initial activity (A0) = 100 MBq
Half-life (T) = 2 hours
Elapsed time (t) = 5 hours
