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# decay constant

noun, Physics.
1.
the reciprocal of the decay time.
Also called decay rate, disintegration constant.
Origin
1930-1935
1930-35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2014.
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Examples from the web for decay constant
• The decay and ingrowth corrections must be in time units consistent with the decay constant.
• Activity is defined as being equal to n x l, where n is the number of atoms of a radionuclide and l is the decay constant.
decay constant in Medicine

decay constant n.

Symbol λ The constant ratio for the number of atoms of a radionuclide that decay in a given period of time compared with the total number of atoms of the same kind present at the beginning of that period. Also called disintegration constant, radioactive constant.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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Encyclopedia Article for decay constant

proportionality between the size of a population of radioactive atoms and the rate at which the population decreases because of radioactive decay. Suppose N is the size of a population of radioactive atoms at a given time t, and dN is the amount by which the population decreases in time dt; then the rate of change is given by the equation dN/dt=lambdaN, where lambda is the decay constant. Integration of this equation yields N=N0elambdat, where N0 is the size of an initial population of radioactive atoms at time t=0. This shows that the population decays exponentially at a rate that depends on the decay constant. The time required for half of the original population of radioactive atoms to decay is called the half-life. The relationship between the half-life, T1/2, and the decay constant is given by T1/2=0.693/lambda.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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### Word Value for decay

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