Half Life Unit

[Elena Chen 2E]

Hi, I just wanted clarification: when we calculate half-life, is the unit typically in seconds or hours? Thanks!

[Faith Veenker 2K]

Because half-lives vary so much in terms of magnitude, I think it depends on what substance you're dealing with. For example, the half-life of methane is over 9 years, but other half-lives are only seconds. As long as time units are kept the same in your calculations, I don't think it matters which one you use.

[Ritika Prasad 1A]

Adding on to what Faith said, I think it really depends on what units are provided/included in a problem. For example, some sapling questions specifically ask for hours/min, while other examples ask for half-lives in seconds, so I'm thinking it will be pretty clearly stated to us in the question asked depending on the information given or asked for.

[Lily Anne Garcia 1C]

the question should specifically give you a unit of time

[Stephen Min 1I]

Usually half life is in seconds, but it depends on the units given or asked for in the question.

[Sukhkiran Kaur 3I]

I think it's usually in seconds but depending on the units given in the question you might need to convert it to minutes, hours, etc.

[Kyla Roche 2K]

Half life is typically in seconds but look at what the question is asking and what is given. If need be, make sure to convert!

[Jalaia Jackson 2G]

I think that just looking at what the problem provides you with, should determine what units you are going to use.

[jadensteplight_2F]

I'm pretty sure that it depends on the units of time you are working with in your calculations already. For example, if you have a rate constant using seconds, it would make sense to have a half-life measured in seconds. Just make sure you answer in the units that are being asked, and that they are uniform across your calculations. Hope this helps!

[JonathanSung_2G]

Hopefully the question would specify, but if we are talking about the final exam, then I would look at the answer choices if we are asked to find the half-life. The answer choices usually include units, so it would just be a matter of converting the half-life into the proper units if the question does not tell us. Hope this helped!

[Gwirnowski 3B]

Go with the units given by the rate constant, as all half life equations require the rate constant. IF it gives it to you in seconds, your half life will be in seconds.

[Chelsea_Guzman_3C]

Half life is usually calculated in seconds, but if the question gives you a certain unit, you should probably stick to that.

[Justin Zhang_1A]

It will usually be in seconds, but you should check what the question gives you.

[Colin Juett 2F]

The question will clarify, but your answer will depend on the units of k, the rate constant.

[Rob Tsai 2F]

Always pay attention to the units you are given. A lot of times the units of the half-life of a substance depends on whatever the units of the rate constant, k, are. However, I'm fairly certain questions will let you know what units the half-life should be in, so it doesn't matter as long as you convert units in your final solution. Hope this helps!

[Kaili Valenzuela 2B]

I believe it is usually in seconds, but always double check if the questions asks for a specific unit!

[Kyle Dizon 3A]

The question should provide the information needed to identify which units is appropriate to use, but this is usually calculated in seconds.

[LarisaAssadourian2K]

I agree with the previous posts! The question should provide the units for the half-life. They usually give it through the rate constant, so be sure to check for that in the problems.

[Kayla Booker 1F]

I think it can be given in any time unit, seconds, minutes, or hours, it just depends on what you're given

[Joel Meza 3I]

You should look at the units you use in your question/problem. Just make sure that if they initially give you values in hours and the final answer requires the units to be in seconds, that you do the hours to seconds conversion or vice versa if they ask the other way around.

[Lesly Lopez 3A]

From previous textbook exercises, I think it's usually in seconds. However, always be on the lookout if the problem asks for specific units. Also, make sure you convert in order to do the math right if needed.

[joshtully]

The unit is usually in seconds, but the problem will always tell you.

[Joshua Swift]

It is usually in seconds, but if it is in minutes or hours you will just have to convert it.

[dana hu 1B]

when you calculate for half-life, it is usually set in seconds.

[Caelin Brenninkmeijer 1G]

It'll depend on the question and which units it uses.

[Jared Limqueco 3E]

I think the units used really just depends on the context of the question, though most of it has been in seconds

[RaniyaFeroz_1E]

I think it's usually in seconds, but I've also seen some problems where hours and minutes were used. I think it just depends on what units are given in the problem, and usually, when they want the units in hr/min they specify it in the problem.

[Armen_Isayan_2L]

Hello! The calculation of half-life is typically provided in seconds, however, for the final exam you should consider what unit is given by the rate constant. This is because the half-life requires the rate constant, if it is in seconds or hours, your half-life will be dependent on that.

[Kushaal Madadi 2F]

Half life is only required to be reported in some time units. The SI unit of time is the second; however, it doesn't always make sense to use it for large half-lives so we don't always use seconds.

[abby hyman]

The calculations are usually in seconds but can easily be converted and should always tell you the unit if used in a question

[Jerry_T]

Half-life is typically given in seconds or minutes but it depends on the chemical reaction in question. Some are slower and others are faster so units may vary.

[Lung Sheng Liang 3J]

Half life is usually calculated in seconds but, if the questions gives a different time unit, you don't have to convert it.

[LovepreetSran_3H]

It depends on what units are being used in the question.

[Scot Widjaja Dis 1J]

I don't think it will matter so much just as long as you keep your units consistent throughout the problems. For example don't multiple a unit of time in seconds by a unit of time in hours. Make sure to convert one to the other same unit before computing the numbers. Hope this helps.

[Isabel_Eslabon_2G]

If you’re solving for half life, then the units really depend on the units of k. Just remember to write out your units when you do the math.

It can be in seconds, minutes, hours, whatever the problem (or answer choices) say it is.

[reyvalui_3g]

It will depend on the units that are given to us in the problem.

[Neha Jonnalagadda 2D]

It depends on the substance, half life can be seconds or years.

[205769933]

It depends on the substance or the question! If the question is given in minutes, you should probably calculate it in minutes but generally I think seconds is more common in our textbook problems.

[Jacob_Eberson_2D]

it's usually in seconds but it depends on the problem