✏️ Adventure 10 — Activity

Exponential Decay & the Age of the Earth — Using U‑235, half‑life, and the DiVA chart.

Use the chart to estimate values (close estimates are fine). Units: t in billions of years, mass in grams.

Feynman–Gamow Mission — Full Chart
Feynman–Gamow Mission — Full Charts with Values (L, M, v, a)

🧩 Part 1 — The magic derivative

Look back at the chart above

We start with the exponential because it keeps its shape when you differentiate.

🧱 Part 2 — Find the decay constant from half‑life

We model decay as M(t)=M(0)e^{-kt}. U‑235 half‑life is about 0.704 billion years.

📊 Part 3 — Half‑life table (powers of 2)

Start with 1024 g. Each half‑life cuts the remaining mass in half.

🧮 Part 4 — Read the DiVA chart

Use the DiVA curves above (mass and decay speed)

Use the green curves for Lead L(t) (solid) and Uranium M(t) (dashed). Use the red curve for v(t).

🧠 Part 5 — One integral (concept)

Think about the shaded area under v(t) above

The area under v(t) from 0 to 1 is the total mass that has changed into lead by time 1.

Sample answers (for checking)