halflife Definition
the time required for half the atoms of a radioactive substance to become disintegrated; half the time it takes for a substance to lose its potency or effectiveness.
Using halflife: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "halflife" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The half-life of carbon-14 is about 5,700 years.
Example
The half-life of caffeine in the body is about 5 hours.
Summary: halflife in Brief
The term 'halflife' [haf-lahyf, hahf-] refers to the time required for half the atoms of a radioactive substance to become disintegrated or half the time it takes for a substance to lose its potency or effectiveness. Examples include 'The half-life of carbon-14 is about 5,700 years.' and 'The half-life of caffeine in the body is about 5 hours.'
