The half-life of phosphorus-32 is 14.26 days. calculate its decay constant. express the decay constant numerically in inverse days.

When this is the first order reaction of the radioactive decay:

and according to the first order rate equation:

㏑ (Ao/A) = K t

and when Ao = is the starting concentration

and A = is the concentration at time t

and K is the rate constant

t is the elapsed time = 14.26 days

for 1 half-life ∴ Ao/A = 2

by substitution:

㏑2 = K * 14.26 days

∴ K = 0.0486 days^-1