WebHalf-life is the time it takes for half of the unstable nuclei in a sample to decay or for the activity of the sample to halve or for the count rate to halve. WebFeb 20, 2024 · The answer can be found by examining Figure 31.5. 1, which shows how the number of radioactive nuclei in a sample decreases with time. The time in which half of the original number of nuclei decay is defined as the half-life t 1 / 2. Half of the remaining nuclei decay in the next half-life. Further, half of that amount decays in the following ...

Half-Life: Definition, Equation Sciencing

WebAug 13, 2024 · To define half-life. To determine the amount of radioactive substance remaining after a given number of half-lives. Whether or not a given isotope is … Webhalf-life In physics, a fixed time required for half the radioactive nuclei in a substance to decay. Half-lives of radioactive substances can range from fractions of a second to … raytrec bluetooth

What Does Half-Life Mean? - Scientific American

WebHalf - life is a measure of the time taken for. the unstable nuclei to change into stable nuclei. Different substances do this at different rates. Some do it very quickly and half of the unstable nuclei decay. in less than one second. For example, lithium - 8 has a half - life of only 0 · 85 seconds. Some do it very slowly and half of the ... WebWhile it's impossible to know when a radioactive element will decay, it is possible to statistically know the average time it takes for a sample to decay to half of its original amount. This measure, called a half-life, is a crucial measurement in the dating of ancient artifacts and fossils. Webnoun The constant time period required for the disintegration of half of the atoms in a sample of some specific radioactive substance. Webster's New World Similar definitions The time required for half the quantity of a drug or other substance deposited in a living organism to be metabolized or eliminated by normal biological processes. simply plumbing downham