Ever wondered how long radioactive materials stick around? The answer lies in the fascinating concept of half-life, and it's all thanks to a handy formula! Half-life is the time it takes for half of a radioactive substance to decay. This decay happens at a constant rate, regardless of external factors like temperature or pressure.
The half-life formula helps us predict how much of a substance remains after a certain amount of time. The most common form is:
N(t) = N₀ * (1/2)^(t/T)
Where:
* N(t) is the amount remaining after time t
* N₀ is the initial amount
* t is the elapsed time
* T is the half-life
So, if you start with 100 grams of a substance with a half-life of 10 years, after 10 years you'll have 50 grams. After another 10 years (20 total), you'll have 25 grams, and so on.
Understanding the half-life formula is crucial in various fields, from nuclear medicine to archaeology, allowing scientists to date artifacts and safely handle radioactive materials. It's a powerful tool for understanding the world around us, one decaying atom at a time!
