Difference between revisions of "Half-life"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(per cp:mos) |
(added a formula for the half-life) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''Half-life''' is the time it takes for half of the original sample of a [[radioactive]] [[isotope]] to decay.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> Knowing these decay rates are important for dating, such as with [[carbon|carbon-14]]. | + | '''Half-life''' is the time it takes for half of the original sample of a [[radioactive]] [[isotope]] to decay.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> If the [[exponential decay]] of a radioisotope is expressed as <math>A = A_0 e^{-(t-t_0)/\tau}</math>, then the half-life is equal to <math>\tau</math> ln 2. Knowing these decay rates are important for dating, such as with [[carbon|carbon-14]]. |
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 16:50, November 18, 2009
Half-life is the time it takes for half of the original sample of a radioactive isotope to decay.[1] If the exponential decay of a radioisotope is expressed as , then the half-life is equal to ln 2. Knowing these decay rates are important for dating, such as with carbon-14.
References
- ↑ Wile, Dr. Jay L. Exploring Creation With Physical Science. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000