Radioactive decay – decay law and half-life

PhysicsQuantum & Nuclear PhysicsAges 17–18

N₀ parent nuclei (red) decay randomly into daughter nuclei (grey), each with the same decay probability per unit time. The graph plots the simulated number of remaining nuclei N(t) against the theoretical curve N = N₀·2^(−t/T); the decay constant λ = ln2/T and the activity H = λN update continuously. Drag the cursor along the graph to read N at any instant.