puolielämä

Puolielämä is a Finnish-language term that translates to "half-life" in English. In a scientific context, it refers to the time it takes for a substance undergoing decay to decrease to half of its initial amount. This concept is most commonly applied in nuclear physics and chemistry to describe the decay rate of radioactive isotopes.

The half-life of a radioactive element is a constant, characteristic property that remains the same regardless of external conditions like temperature or pressure. This predictability makes half-life a crucial tool for various applications, including radiocarbon dating, where the half-life of carbon-14 is used to determine the age of organic materials. It is also fundamental in nuclear medicine for diagnostics and treatments, and in nuclear power generation for managing radioactive waste.

The term "puolielämä" can also be used metaphorically in everyday Finnish to describe a period of significant transition or a phase in life where progress or change happens at a reduced pace, essentially meaning a state of being halfway through a process or journey. However, its primary and most widely recognized meaning remains the scientific one related to decay rates.