decay constant — Physics. the reciprocal of the decay time. Also called decay rate, disintegration constant. [1930 35] * * * ▪ nuclear physics proportionality between the size of a population of radioactive atoms and the rate at which the population… … Universalium
decay — vb Decay, decompose, rot, putrefy, spoil, disintegrate, crumble mean to undergo or, in some cases, to cause something to undergo destructive dissolution. Decay implies change, commonly a natural and gradual change, from a state of soundness or… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Radioactive decay — For particle decay in a more general context, see Particle decay. For more information on hazards of various kinds of radiation from decay, see Ionizing radiation. Radioactive redirects here. For other uses, see Radioactive (disambiguation).… … Wikipedia
Exponential decay — A quantity undergoing exponential decay. Larger decay constants make the quantity vanish much more rapidly. This plot shows decay for decay constants of 25, 5, 1, 1/5, and 1/25 for x from 0 to 5. A quantity is said to be subject to exponential… … Wikipedia
C-decay — refers to a Young Earth Creationist proposal that the speed of light was over a million times faster within the last 10,000 years, immediately following the creation of the universe, and has been slowing down since then in a logarithmic decay. By … Wikipedia
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — IPCC redirects here. For other uses, see IPCC (disambiguation). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Org type Panel … Wikipedia
Climate change — For current and future climatological effects of human influences, see global warming. For the study of past climate change, see paleoclimatology. For temperatures on the longest time scales, see geologic temperature record … Wikipedia
radioactive decay — noun the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation • Syn: ↑decay, ↑disintegration • Derivationally related forms: ↑disintegrate (for: ↑disintegration), ↑decay ( … Useful english dictionary
radioactivity — /ray dee oh ak tiv i tee/, n. Physics, Chem. the phenomenon, exhibited by and being a property of certain elements, of spontaneously emitting radiation resulting from changes in the nuclei of atoms of the element. Also called activity. [1895… … Universalium
dating — I In geology and archaeology, the process of determining an object s or event s place within a chronological scheme. Scientists may use either relative dating, in which items are sequenced on the basis of stratigraphic clues (see stratigraphy) or … Universalium
