Half life Flashcards
1
Q
What is a half-life?
A
Half-life of an element is the time taken for half of a sample of radioactive elements to decay. For example if you have 100 grams of an element the half-life is the time it takes for there to be 50 grams. The half-life is different based on the type of elements. Some elements have half-lives of 20 minutes while others have a half-life of 200 years.
2
Q
What do the different components of the following formula mean?
N(t) = N^0 (t/2^n)
A
N(t) = quantity of the substance remaining N0 = initial quantity of the substance t= time elapsed n = number of half-lives
