Half-Life Calculator

Calculate Half-Lives and Decay Rates

ChemistryCalculatorHub.info

Remaining Amount Calculator

Calculate the remaining amount after a given time period

Remaining Amount: -

Time Elapsed Calculator

Calculate time elapsed given initial and final amounts

Time Elapsed: -

Decay Constant Calculator

Calculate the decay constant from half-life

Decay Constant: -

Understanding Half-Life

What is Half-Life?

Half-life is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value. This concept applies to radioactive decay, chemical reactions, and other exponential decay processes.

Exponential Decay

The decay process follows an exponential pattern described by:

N(t) = N₀ × (1/2)^(t/t₁/₂)

where N₀ is initial amount, t is time, and t₁/₂ is half-life

Decay Constant

The decay constant (λ) is related to half-life by:

λ = ln(2)/t₁/₂

t₁/₂ = ln(2)/λ

Applications

Half-life calculations are crucial in:

  • Radioactive dating
  • Nuclear medicine
  • Chemical kinetics
  • Drug metabolism

Essential Half-Life Formulas

Basic Half-Life

N(t) = N₀ × (1/2)^(t/t₁/₂)

Time Calculation

t = t₁/₂ × log₂(N₀/N)

Number of Half-Lives

n = t/t₁/₂