document.write( "Question 924347: 320 mg of Iodine 131 is stored in a laboratory for 40 days. At the end of this period only 10 mg of the element remains. What is the half-life of Iodine 131? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #560770 by josgarithmetic(39620)\"\" \"About 
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Start with a general exponential decay equation and solve for for t and for k.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A generalized exponential decay equation: \"y=b%2Ae%5E%28kt%29\" using assigned variables,
\n" ); document.write( "y, amount at any time t
\n" ); document.write( "b, initial amount at t=0
\n" ); document.write( "k, a rate constant which will be negative
\n" ); document.write( "t, passage of time in day\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "SOLVE THE DECAY EQUATION SYMBOLICALLY FOR THE TERM kt:
\n" ); document.write( "TAKE LOGs OF BOTH SIDES, A FEW STEPS NOT SHOWN HERE BUT SHOULD STILL BE UNDERSTOOD (HOPEFULLY):
\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%28y%29=ln%28b%29%2Bln%28e%5E%28kt%29%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"ln%28y%29=ln%28b%29%2Bkt\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"kt=ln%28y%29-ln%28b%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"highlight_green%28kt=ln%28y%2Fb%29%29\"; first use this to find k from the first two sentence. Use the green outlined equation again to find half-life.
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