- #1
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I know that half-life is the time taken for the activity of a particular nuclide to become half its initial value. But I do not understand the equation that I have "learned" relating to it.
[tex]T^{1/2} = \frac{0.69}{\lambda}[/tex]
I am not sure what any of the letters of symbols stand for. I have looked them up, but they still don't make sense to me.
[tex]\lambda[/tex] = Decay Constant
[tex]0.69[/tex] = Natural Logarithm
[tex]T^{1/2}[/tex] = Half life?
Is the decay constant given? How would you go about finding the decay constant in an experiment with a Geiger Muller Counter and a radioactive source?
What does the natural Logarithm stand for or mean?
Sorry these are probably quite trivial questions, but I have looked and once I know what they are and why they are, I can work out in my mind how it works, and do soem firther work. Thanks!
[tex]T^{1/2} = \frac{0.69}{\lambda}[/tex]
I am not sure what any of the letters of symbols stand for. I have looked them up, but they still don't make sense to me.
[tex]\lambda[/tex] = Decay Constant
[tex]0.69[/tex] = Natural Logarithm
[tex]T^{1/2}[/tex] = Half life?
Is the decay constant given? How would you go about finding the decay constant in an experiment with a Geiger Muller Counter and a radioactive source?
What does the natural Logarithm stand for or mean?
Sorry these are probably quite trivial questions, but I have looked and once I know what they are and why they are, I can work out in my mind how it works, and do soem firther work. Thanks!