Radioactive decay – Derivation

The (differential) equation for radioactive decay can be shown:

𝒅𝑵
= −𝝀 𝑵(𝒕)
𝒅𝒕

The (instantaneous) rate of change in the number of remaining nuclei is

proportional to the number of remaining nuclei at a given time, t. i.e.

𝒅𝑵
∝ 𝑵(𝒕)
𝒅𝒕

The decay constant, 𝝀, can be shown to be the constant of proportionality.

The decay constant, 𝝀 − probability (definition)

The decay constant, 𝝀, is the probability of an individual nuclei decaying

per second.

Solution(s) to the radioactive decay equation:

There are many ways to solve the radioactive decay equation:

1. Separation of Variables
2. Integrating factors
3. Trial (An-satz) solutions

Solving via separation of variables

The radioactive decay equation is:

𝒅𝑵
= −𝝀 𝑵(𝒕)
𝒅𝒕

Using the method of separation of variables and integrating both sides:

𝟏
∫ 𝒅𝑵 = ∫ −𝝀 𝒅𝒕
𝑵
𝟏
Recall: ∫ 𝒙 𝒅𝒙 = 𝒍𝒏 |𝒙| + 𝒄
𝒍𝒏 𝑵 = −𝝀𝒕 + 𝑪

Where, C is the constant of integration.

Note: the absolute value can be ignored since N (t) > 0 for all t > 0

Re-arranging for N as the subject:

𝑵 = 𝑨 ∗ 𝒆𝒙𝒑(−𝝀𝒕)
N = No – No*exp(lambda*t) = No (1- exp(lambda*t))

Using probability to derive the equation for radioactive decay:

The probability that individual radioactive nucleus has decayed in time

duration, “𝚫t” is:

Probability of decay = 𝝀 𝚫𝒕

Similarly, the probability that an individual radioactive nucleus has NOT

decayed after the time duration “𝚫t” is:

Probability of NO decay = 𝟏 − 𝝀 𝚫𝒕

If there are N radioactive nuclei at a given time, t, we would expect only a

fraction of these nuclei to NOT decay within a given time duration.

The average number of un-decayed nuclei after time duration “𝚫t” is:
 𝑵(𝒕 + 𝚫𝒕) = 𝑵(𝒕)(𝟏 − 𝝀 𝚫𝒕)
Where,

𝑵(𝒕) - The number of un-decayed radioactive nuclei at time, t.

𝑵(𝒕 + 𝚫𝒕) - The number of un-decayed radioactive nuclei at time, 𝒕 + 𝚫𝒕.

Re-arranging:
𝑵(𝒕 + 𝚫𝒕) − 𝑵(𝒕)
= −𝝀 𝑵(𝒕)
𝚫𝒕

Using the definition of the derivative:

𝑵(𝒕 + 𝚫𝒕) − 𝑵(𝒕) 𝒅𝑵

𝐥𝐢𝐦 =
𝚫𝒕→𝟎 𝚫𝒕 𝒅𝒕