Half-Life Calculator
Calculate half-life, elapsed time, initial quantity, or remaining quantity with this scientific calculator.
Remaining Quantity:
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Understanding Half-Life
What is Half-Life?
Half-life is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value. This concept is fundamental in many scientific fields, particularly in nuclear physics and pharmacology. For radioactive substances, it represents the time needed for half of the unstable atoms to decay.
Applications
Half-life calculations are crucial in:
- Carbon dating of archaeological artifacts
- Nuclear medicine and radiation therapy
- Drug metabolism studies
- Environmental science and pollution tracking
Formula
The half-life formula is:
N(t) = N₀ × (1/2)^(t/t₁/₂)
Where:
- N(t) = Quantity remaining after time t
- N₀ = Initial quantity
- t = Elapsed time
- t₁/₂ = Half-life