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HALF-LIFE PERIOD [3 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2015-10-06
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Environmental Studies and Analyses
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- half-life period
1, record 1, English, half%2Dlife%20period
correct, standardized
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
The period of time after which the concentration or mass of a substance, undergoing degradation or decay, has fallen to half of its initial value. 1, record 1, English, - half%2Dlife%20period
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
half-life period : term and definition standardized by ISO. 2, record 1, English, - half%2Dlife%20period
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Études et analyses environnementales
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- période de demi-vie
1, record 1, French, p%C3%A9riode%20de%20demi%2Dvie
correct, feminine noun, standardized
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Période de temps après laquelle la concentration ou la masse d'une substance, subissant une dégradation ou une désintégration, atteint la moitié de sa valeur initiale. 1, record 1, French, - p%C3%A9riode%20de%20demi%2Dvie
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
période de demi-vie : terme et définition normalisés par l'ISO. 2, record 1, French, - p%C3%A9riode%20de%20demi%2Dvie
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Estudios y análisis del medio ambiente
Record 1, Main entry term, Spanish
- período de vida media
1, record 1, Spanish, per%C3%ADodo%20de%20vida%20media
correct, masculine noun
Record 1, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 1, Synonyms, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Período de tiempo después del cual la concentración o masa de una sustancia sometida a degradación o desintegración ha descendido a la mitad de su valor inicial. 1, record 1, Spanish, - per%C3%ADodo%20de%20vida%20media
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
El término es aplicable solamente a las reacciones de orden cero o uno. 1, record 1, Spanish, - per%C3%ADodo%20de%20vida%20media
Record 2 - internal organization data 2009-11-09
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Nuclear Physics
- Atomic Physics
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- law of radioactive decay
1, record 2, English, law%20of%20radioactive%20decay
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The law of radioactive decay predicts how the number of the not decayed nuclei of a given radioactive substance decreases in the course of time. 1, record 2, English, - law%20of%20radioactive%20decay
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
The red circles of this simulation symbolize 1000 atomic nuclei of a radioactive substance whose half-life period(T) amounts to 20 seconds. 1, record 2, English, - law%20of%20radioactive%20decay
Record 2, Key term(s)
- radioactive decay law
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Physique nucléaire
- Physique atomique
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- loi de décroissance radioactive
1, record 2, French, loi%20de%20d%C3%A9croissance%20radioactive
correct, feminine noun
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Loi de décroissance radioactive. C'est en 1902 que Rutherford et Soddy ont mis en évidence la loi de décroissance exponentielle d'un corps radioactif. En effet, ils cherchaient à interpréter leurs expériences réalisées sur les éléments appartenant à la famille radioactive du thorium. C'est à Bateman (en 1910) que l'on doit l'établissement du formalisme général de résolution des équations régissant les filiations radioactives en fonction du temps [...] 1, record 2, French, - loi%20de%20d%C3%A9croissance%20radioactive
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record 3 - internal organization data 2008-11-21
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Pharmacodynamics
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- plasma half-life
1, record 3, English, plasma%20half%2Dlife
correct
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, Textual support, English
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The duration of action of a drug is known as its half life. This is the period of time required for the concentration or amount of drug in the body to be reduced by one-half. We usually consider the half life of a drug in relation to the amount of the drug in plasma. A drug's plasma half-life depends on how quickly the drug is eliminated from the plasma. 1, record 3, English, - plasma%20half%2Dlife
Record 3, Key term(s)
- plasma half life
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Pharmacodynamie
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- demi-vie plasmatique
1, record 3, French, demi%2Dvie%20plasmatique
correct, feminine noun
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record number: 3, Textual support number: 1 DEF
[...] temps nécessaire pour que la concentration plasmatique [d'un médicament] diminue de moitié, par exemple de 100 à 50 mg/L. 1, record 3, French, - demi%2Dvie%20plasmatique
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
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