 Solution

For a closed unit-branching radioactive decay chain, the rate equations areThe first gives $N_a=N_{a0}{e}^{-{\lambda }_{a}t}$. Multiply the second by its integrating factor $e^{{\lambda }_{b}t}$:Integrate from zero to $t$. For ${\lambda }_a\ne {\lambda }_b$,soThe coefficients can individually be negative; the physical population is nonnegative because the production integral is nonnegative. For equal nuclear decay constants ${\lambda }_a={\lambda }_b=\lambda$, the finite limit isA sum of two constant-coefficient copies of the same exponential function cannot represent this limit; the $t$ factor is essential.