Curies As A Measure of Quantity
Curies are occasionally used to express a quantity of radioactive material rather than a decay rate, such as when one refers to 1 Ci of caesium-137. This may be interpreted as the number of atoms that would produce 1 Ci of radiation. The rules of radioactive decay may be used convert this to an actual number of atoms. They state that 1 Ci of radioactive atoms would follow the expression:
- N (atoms) * λ (s-1) = 1 Ci = 3.7 × 1010 (Bq)
and so,
- N = 3.7 × 1010 / λ
where λ is the decay constant in (s-1).
The use of Curies to measure quantity is unique in that 1 Ci of a nuclide will be fewer Curies at any later time.
Read more about this topic: Curie
Famous quotes containing the words measure and/or quantity:
“Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation appled to life.”
—Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821–1881)
“All things will be produced in superior quantity and quality, and with greater ease, when each man works at a single occupation, in accordance with his natural gifts, and at the right moment, without meddling with anything else.”
—Plato (c. 427–347 B.C.)