4.2.14

Half Lives

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Half-Life

The half-life is the average time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei to halve. The activity of a radioactive substance is measured in Becquerels (Bq).

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Half-lives are predictable

  • The radioactive decay of an individual atom is random and unpredictable.
  • However, large groups of nuclei do normally behave in predictable ways.
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Half lives are constant

  • The half-life is the average time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei to halve.
  • The half-life for any isotope of an element is constant.
  • The half-life of unstable isotopes can be seconds or millions of years.

Jump to other topics

1Energy

2Electricity

3Particle Model of Matter

4Atoms & Radiation

5Forces

5.1Basics of Motion

5.2Forces

5.3Effects of Forces

5.4Pressure

6Waves

7Magnetism

8Astrophysics

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