Atomic Structure: Half-life

Understanding Half-life in Atomic Structure

Half-life refers to the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.
It’s a measure of the rate at which a radioactive isotope decays and it’s expressed in units of time.

Each radioactive isotope has a unique half-life, which is always the same for that isotope.
The half-life of a radioactive substance cannot be changed through physical means (e.g. temperature, pressure) or by chemical means.
A longer half-life implies a slower decay rate and a shorter half-life means the isotope decays faster.

If given an amount or percentage of a radioactive isotope and its half-life duration, you can calculate how much of the isotope will remain after a given time period.
Conversely, if given the starting and remaining amount of a radioactive isotope and the time elapsed, you can calculate the half-life.

Knowledge of half-life is vital in many scientific fields such as dating archaeological samples (carbon dating), medical imaging (nuclear medicine) and nuclear energy production.
It’s also useful in managing dangers associated with radioactive material, by predicting and controlling exposure.

A half-life is a time measurement and it expresses the decay rate of a radioactive isotope.
The half-life of a radioactive substance is a fixed value and can’t be changed by external factors. Thus, knowing the half-life can predict how much of a radioactive sample will remain after a certain time.
The concept of half-life is critical in areas such as archaeology, medicine, and nuclear power where it’s utilised to determine ages, diagnose conditions, and generate power, respectively.