Definition

A period of time in which half of a substance, such as a radioactive material, decays or is eliminated from a system.

Example

The half-life of carbon-14 is about 5,730 years, which is used in dating ancient artifacts.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term halflife in science classes?

Yeah, it refers to the time it takes for half of a substance to decay, right?

Exactly! It's really interesting how it applies to things like radioactive materials.

For sure, I find it fascinating how halflife affects so many elements in nature.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Halflife → It is formed from "half" (from Old English "healf", meaning one of two equal parts) and "life" (from Old English "līf", meaning the condition of living or being alive). The term "halflife" refers to the period of time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value, particularly in the context of radioactive decay or biological processes.

Memory Tip

Think of 'half' as one of two equal parts and 'life' as the condition of being alive — together, they describe the time it takes for something to reduce to half of its original state.

Visually Confused Words