1. What is Half-Life?

Half-life (T_1/2) is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value. It's commonly used in nuclear physics, chemistry, and pharmacokinetics to describe exponential decay processes.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the half-life formula:

Where:

• \( t \) — Elapsed time (same units as half-life)
• \( T_{1/2} \) — Half-life duration (same units as elapsed time)

Explanation: The formula calculates how many half-life periods have passed during the given elapsed time.

3. Importance of Half-Life Calculation

Details: Calculating half-lives is essential for determining remaining quantities of substances, radioactive dating, medication dosing intervals, and understanding decay processes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the elapsed time and half-life in the same units (hours, days, years, etc.). Both values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can I use different time units for input?
A: Yes, but both values must use the same units (e.g., both in hours or both in years).

Q2: What does the result mean?
A: The result tells you how many half-life periods have elapsed. For example, 2 means the quantity has halved twice (now 25% of original).

Q3: How is this related to radioactive decay?
A: Radioactive substances decay exponentially, with half-life being the time for half the atoms to decay.

Q4: Can this be used for medication half-life?
A: Yes, it helps determine when a drug's concentration in the body will reduce to certain levels.

Q5: What's the difference between half-life and mean lifetime?
A: Half-life is time for 50% reduction, while mean lifetime is the average time before decay/disappearance.