Environmental Studies

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences A Dictionary of Ecology Further reading

decay curve

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | | Copyright

decay curve A graphical representation of the exponential rate at which radioactive disintegration occurs (see RADIOACTIVE DECAY). If half the parent nuclide remains after one time increment, one-quarter will remain after the next (identical) time increment, and so on. A plot of the surviving parent atoms against time in half-lives (see DECAY CONSTANT) gives a decay curve that approaches the zero line asymptotically. In theory it should never attain zero. The number of surviving parent atoms N_(t) at the end of a number of half-lives (n) is simply N₀/2ⁿ. Plotted as a function of time t, survivors form a characteristic decay curve, the equation of which is N_t = N₀e^−λt, where e = 2.718 and λ is the decay constant.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-decaycurve.html

AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-decaycurve.html

Learn more about citation styles

decay curve

A Dictionary of Ecology | 2004 | | Copyright

decay curve A graphic representation of the rate of decay of a radioactive isotope of an element. Radioactive disintegration is exponential. If half the parent nuclide remains after one time increment, one-quarter will remain after the next (identical) time increment, and so on. A plot of the surviving parent atoms against time in half-lives (see decay constant) gives a decay curve that approaches the zero line asymptotically. In theory it should never attain zero.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-decaycurve.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "decay curve." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-decaycurve.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Decay properties of the foamed bitumens. Magazine article from: Construction and Building Materials; 12/1/2006
	Supernova's light curve baffles scientists. (supernova 1987A) Magazine article from: Science News; 10/19/1991
	Statistical analysis of environmental effects on reliability decay of... Magazine article from: IIE Transactions; 12/1/1996