Radioactive Decay Calculator Help

Radioactive Decay Equation Timed Decay Equation Unit Converter Time Calculator

The Radioactive Decay Calculator has the following features:

• isotope databank containing the half-life and scheduled quantity of 116 isotopes
• radioactive decay equation
• timed decay equation
• unit converter
• time calculator
• these help files: you can access the help file of any particular component from the calculator screen by clicking on its title

Selecting an isotope: to use the calculator's equations you need to first select an isotope. Simply find the isotope of interest on the list, highlight it by clicking it once, and click the select button. The isotope's half-life is displayed. Choosing another isotope from the list clears the form below.

If your isotope is not on the list: all of the decay equations require the selected isotope's half-life. Instead of refering to the isotope databank, they actually use the value shown in the Half-life textbox. This means that if your isotope is not in the databank, you can still use the equations. Just enter the isotope's half-life in the Half-life textbox and the appropriate time units (h, d or y) in the small textbox to the right. If the half-life is in minutes you should convert it to hours; if it is in exponential form you have to enter it in full. For example, 1.2 * 10⁴ y would be entered as 12000 y.