The term is also used more generally to characterize any type of exponential or non-exponential decay. This algebra lesson introduces radioactive decay and decibel levels and explains how to use their formulas. The half-life T half is the time it takes for y t to decrease by one-half.
1 2A0 Aoekt 1 2 A 0 A o e k t We find that the half-life depends only on the constant k and not on the starting quantity A0 A 0.
Half-life symbol t 12 is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial valueThe term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable atoms survive. In this problem we are given that it takes 444 years for the substance to lose 12 of its radioactive nuclei so in each year it will tick through only one-444th of its half-life. The term is also used more generally to characterize any type of exponential or non-exponential decay. As you can might be able to tell from Graph 1Half life is a particular case of exponential decayOne in which b is frac 1 2.