The mean lives of a radioactive sample are $30 \, years$ and $60 \, years$ for $\alpha$-emission and $\beta$-emission,respectively. If the sample decays by both $\alpha$-emission and $\beta$-emission simultaneously,then the time after which only one-fourth of the sample remains is approximately ............ $years$.

In a radioactive material,the fraction of active material remaining after time $t$ is $\frac{9}{16}$. The fraction that was remaining after $\frac{t}{2}$ is:

There are $10^{10}$ radioactive nuclei in a given radioactive element. Its half-life time is $1 \text{ minute}$. How many nuclei will remain after $30 \text{ seconds}$? $(\sqrt{2} = 1.414)$

If the measurement errors in all the independent quantities are known,then it is possible to determine the error in any dependent quantity. This is done by the use of series expansion and truncating the expansion at the first power of the error. For example,consider the relation $z = x / y$. If the errors in $x, y$ and $z$ are $\Delta x, \Delta y$ and $\Delta z$,respectively,then $z \pm \Delta z = \frac{x \pm \Delta x}{y \pm \Delta y} = \frac{x}{y} (1 \pm \frac{\Delta x}{x}) (1 \pm \frac{\Delta y}{y})^{-1}$. The series expansion for $(1 \pm \frac{\Delta y}{y})^{-1}$,to first power in $\Delta y / y$,is $1 \mp (\Delta y / y)$. The relative errors in independent variables are always added. So the error in $z$ will be $\Delta z = z (\frac{\Delta x}{x} + \frac{\Delta y}{y})$. The above derivation makes the assumption that $\Delta x / x \ll 1, \Delta y / y \ll 1$. Therefore,the higher powers of these quantities are neglected.
$(1)$ Consider the ratio $r = \frac{(1 - a)}{(1 + a)}$ to be determined by measuring a dimensionless quantity $a$. If the error in the measurement of $a$ is $\Delta a$ $(\Delta a / a \ll 1)$,then what is the error $\Delta r$?
$(2)$ In an experiment,the initial number of radioactive nuclei is $3000$. It is found that $1000 \pm 40$ nuclei decayed in the first $1.0 \ s$. For $|x| < 1$,$\ln(1 + x) = x$ up to first power in $x$. The error $\Delta \lambda$,in the determination of the decay constant $\lambda$,in $s^{-1}$,is:

What mass in $\mu g$ of $Th^{227}$ is required to produce an activity of $1 \ mCi$ if its half-life is $1.9 \ \text{years}$?

Half-life of a radioactive substance $A$ is two times the half-life of another radioactive substance $B$. Initially, the number of nuclei of $A$ and $B$ are $N_A$ and $N_B$ respectively. After three half-lives of $A$, the number of nuclei of both are equal. Then $\frac{N_A}{N_B}$ is