The decay constant K of a radioactive sample is the probability of decay of an atom in unit time. Then,

Question

The decay constant K of a radioactive sample is the probability of decay of an atom in unit time. Then, (A)  λ decreases as the atom becomes older (B)  λ increases as the age of atoms increases (C)  λ independent of the age of atoms (D)  λ behaviour of λ A with time depends on the nature of the activity

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Decay constant of radioactive sample is reciprocal of the time after which the number of atoms of a radioactive substance decreases to 36.8 % of their number of present initially and it does not depend on the age of the atoms.

Q. The decay constant $K$ of a radioactive sample is the probability of decay of an atom in unit time. Then,

$λ$ decreases as the atom becomes older

$λ$ increases as the age of atoms increases

$λ$ independent of the age of atoms

$λ$ behaviour of $λ$ A with time depends on the nature of the activity

Decay constant of radioactive sample is reciprocal of the time after which the number of atoms of a radioactive substance decreases to $36.8%$ of their number of present initially and it does not depend on the age of the atoms.

Q. The decay constant K of a radioactive sample is the probability of decay of an atom in unit time. Then,

λ decreases as the atom becomes older

λ increases as the age of atoms increases

λ independent of the age of atoms

λ behaviour of λ A with time depends on the nature of the activity