(DoD) The time required for the activity of a given radioactive species to decrease to half of its initial value due to radioactive decay. The half-life is a characteristic property of each radioactive species and is independent of its amount or condition. The effective half-life of a given isotope is the time in which the quantity in the body will decrease to half as a result of both radioactive decay and biological elimination.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). half-life. Retrieved September 24, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/half-life/definitions/1961967 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "half-life" http://smartdefine.org/half-life/definitions/1961967 (accessed September 24, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, half-life, Smart Define, viewed 24 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/half-life/definitions/1961967>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "half-life" 4 April 2011. Web. 24 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/half-life/definitions/1961967> |