How Do I Know What Measurement of Time to use in Exponential Functions?

Zweeg

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How Do I Know What Measurement of Time to use in Exponential Functions?
 
Scale, really.

If you used Seconds to watch the deterioration of Cesium-137, you'll be going through an awful lot of cycles, but maybe that's what you want. You might want to use Years for that. Maybe Months. It depends on what you are doing.

If you used Years to watch the deterioration of Carbon-14, you'll be going through quite a few cycles, but maybe that's what you want. You may wish to consider Centuries or even the Millennium. Again, it depends on what you are doing.

If you used days to watch the deterioration of Lawrencium-260, you'll be doing a very short measurement, but maybe that's what you want. You may wish to consider Minutes or Seconds. Again, it depends on what you are doing.

I'll let you look up the half-lives of these radioactive isotopes and see if it makes any sense.
 
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