What's the Half-life symbol means?

[Signatura]

Hi guys,
mainly, im sorry for my english, but i hope you understand me.

My girlfriend wants to have this symbol tattooed on her chest.
And I ask you, what's this symbol means?

Thank you for any answers

 

[ChiliFan]

It means "half-life".

"Half-life" is the amount of time it takes for a radioactive substance to decay into half of its original quantity of atoms.

 

[Wanted Bob]

The symbol is a lower cased lambda letter. It has been used to represent many things, however the most obvious connection to Half Life is that lambda is the symbol for the half life of a given material.

Other meanings are listed here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda#Lower-case_letter_.CE.BB

 

[Signatura]

Ok thanks i tryed google and i find somethink. Is it the symbol lambda? I think symbol in greek alphabet ?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Greek_lambda.png/800px-Greek_lambda.png

 

[Shem]

Lambda indicates the wavelength of any wave, especially in physics, electronics engineering, and mathematics.
Lambda indicates the radioactivity decay constant in nuclear physics and radioactivity. This constant is very simply related (by a multiplicative constant) to the half-life of any radioactive material.
Lambda is used as a recurring symbol for the human resistance in the Valve computer game series Half-Life.

Kept the most important things.

 

[Acepilotf14]

My girlfriend wants to have this symbol tattooed on her chest.

that's a terrible idea

 

[Signatura]

Lambda is used as a recurring symbol for the human resistance in the Valve computer game series Half-Life.

What's this exatly means?
"human resistance" something like rebellion ?

 

[Edeslash]

Have you played the game? It's about humans being "enslaved" by alien races. People who resist this use the symbol to mark hideouts, supply stashes etc.

 

[Wanted Bob]

Have you played the game? It's about humans being "enslaved" by alien races. People who resist this use the symbol to mark hideouts, supply stashes etc.

I think he just doesnt understand what human resistance means, he said his english isnt too good.

Human Resistance is the same as Rebellion.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Although Half-life uses it, you need to be aware that lambda is a greek letter which existed well before Half-life. Therefore it has many meanings, with the Half-life resistance being one few people in society would recognise! It's mostly known for wavelength when measuring waves although it's link to Half-life is a different scientific application (denoting the time taken for a radioactive material to half in activity). Being more biologically and chemistry focused I think of lambda bacteria phages more often but most people would associate it with the other two.

The picture you provided has the upper case and lower case versions of lambda. I would recommend your girlfriend looks at all the different meanings of lambda first before she does it as Wanted Bob posted earlier - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambda#Lower-case_letter_.CE.BB

 

[ríomhaire]

LAMBDA IS NOT THE SYMBOL FOR THE HALF-LIFE STOP GETTING IT MIXED UP. It's the symbol for the radioactive decay constant which is equal to the natural logarithm of two divided by the half-life.

 

[Ennui]

Tattooing a lower case lambda on yourself also signifies that you are homosexual, so... bear that in mind before permanently etching it into your gf's skin.

 

[Shem]

The lambda is both the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet and the Greek number 30.

 

[Vegeta897]

Tattooing a lower case lambda on yourself also signifies that you are homosexual, so... bear that in mind before permanently etching it into your gf's skin.

All the more reason to do it, man.

 

[Signatura]

Tattooing a lower case lambda on yourself also signifies that you are homosexual, so... bear that in mind before permanently etching it into your gf's skin.

I'm not homosexual and I don't you tell the details about it. What i can tell, she want it no only what's the meaning that symbol, but other secret reason (no about game ...).

Ok thank you guys, I have lots of information about that. Thank you for your goodwill.

 

[Vegeta897]

Can I ask where you're from, or what your native language is?

 

[hakojo]

Tattooing a lower case lambda on yourself also signifies that you are homosexual, so... bear that in mind before permanently etching it into your gf's skin.

Aww man... That was totally on my list of tattoos to get at some point. Sigh.

 

[Signatura]

Can I ask where you're from, or what your native language is?

Sure, I'm from Czech Republic.

 

[Shem]

That means you are a Czech and speak Czech.

 

[Kyzr]

I know I'm late to the party but lambda also means wavelength in physics.

 

[Stylo]

I know I'm late to the party but lambda also means wavelength in physics.

Shem beat you to it.

 

[Kyzr]

Shem beat you to it.

Damnit Shem.

 

[Shem]

I apologize.