They are inversely related: t½ = ln(2)/λ, where λ is the decay constant.
Duration of the online course: 31 hours and 56 minutes
Master nuclear decay, radiation detection and radiochemistry basics with a free online course—clear lessons, practice questions, and a sharable certificate option.
Build a solid foundation in nuclear and radiochemistry and learn to think like a physicist when it comes to radioactive processes, nuclear structure, and radiation measurement. This free online course is designed for students and curious learners who want clarity on concepts that often feel abstract: why some nuclei are stable while others decay, how to quantify radioactive change over time, and how different types of radiation interact with matter.
You will move step by step from the language of nuclei and isotopes to the practical mathematics of decay. Along the way, you will connect half-life, decay constants, and equilibrium ideas to real scenarios encountered in environmental measurements, medicine, research labs, and nuclear technology. Rather than memorizing facts, you will practice interpreting decay behavior and predicting outcomes, building confidence with the reasoning that underpins nuclear physics.
The course also emphasizes the models used to explain nuclear behavior, showing how different viewpoints complement one another when describing binding, stability, and pathways such as beta decay. You will gain intuition for what changes inside the nucleus during beta minus and beta plus processes and how these transformations fit into a broader picture of nuclear structure.
A key practical skill you will develop is understanding radiation interaction and detection. You will learn what makes charged particles lose energy differently in matter, why fast electrons behave unlike heavy charged particles, and what it means for a detector to convert radiation into a measurable signal. By exploring common detector approaches and the advantages of scintillation materials used for gamma counting, you will be better prepared to read instrumentation results and evaluate measurement choices.
To reinforce learning, the course includes question-driven checkpoints that help you test your understanding as you progress. If you are preparing for school physics exams, strengthening fundamentals for further study, or simply exploring how radiochemistry supports modern applications, this course offers a structured path from core ideas to meaningful insight.
Explore free online Nuclear Physics courses and earn a certificate while mastering atomic nuclei, radioactivity, nuclear reactions, fission, fusion, radiation, and particle interactions. Learn at your own pace with accessible lessons from trusted educators, build valuable scientific skills, and advance your studies or career in physics and energy.
Explore free online Radioactivity courses and earn a certificate while learning radioactive decay, isotopes, nuclear radiation, half-life, detection methods, safety, and real-world applications. Study at your own pace with accessible lessons designed for beginners, students, and professionals seeking valuable skills in nuclear science.
31 hours and 56 minutes of online video course
Digital certificate of course completion (Free)
Exercises to train your knowledge
100% free, from content to certificate
What is the relationship between radioactive half-life and the decay constant?
They are inversely related: t½ = ln(2)/λ, where λ is the decay constant.
What is secular equilibrium in a radioactive decay series?
It occurs when the parent isotope has a much longer half-life than its daughter, so the daughter’s activity becomes nearly equal to the parent’s activity.
Why is sodium iodide doped with thallium used for gamma-ray counting?
NaI(Tl) has high light output and efficiently converts gamma-ray interactions into measurable scintillation signals.
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