Cobalt-60 Half-Life: 5.27 Years
Cobalt-60 has a half-life of about 5.27 years; this calculator shows how much remains after any elapsed time.
How to use this tool
- Enter initial amount, half-life (time units) and elapsed time (same units) in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your remaining amount and the full breakdown beneath it.
Cobalt-60 is used in cancer radiotherapy; its ~5-year half-life determines when sources must be replaced.
Frequently asked questions
- What substances have known half-lives?
- Carbon-14 has a half-life of about 5,730 years (used in carbon dating). Uranium-238 has ~4.5 billion years. Iodine-131 used in medicine has ~8 days.
- Can I use this for non-radioactive decay?
- Yes — any process that halves on a fixed schedule (drug concentration, population loss, etc.) can be modelled this way.