Half-life is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value. It is commonly used in contexts involving exponential decay, such as radioactive decay or pharmacokinetics.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
The formula for calculating half-life in terms of the decay constant $\lambda$ is $t_{1/2} = \frac{\ln(2)}{\lambda}$.
In exponential decay models, half-life remains constant regardless of the initial amount.
Half-life can be derived using integration techniques from the differential equation $\frac{dy}{dt} = -\lambda y$.
Understanding half-life is crucial for solving problems involving decay rates and predicting future amounts.
The concept of half-life applies to various fields such as physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science.