Live Time Is the Remaining Clock - Detector Physics: Dead Time and Coincidence Timing Step by Step

Dead time and live time partition the observation clock. Exact arithmetic here means exact results for the stated model inputs; measured inputs still carry uncertainty and significant-figure limits.

highlighted = computed this step

Live time is the clock time left after dead time

The clock has 12 seconds, and dead time uses 8 seconds.

12 - 8=4\ \text{s}

Only the remaining time can accept another pulse

The live remainder is 4 seconds.

T_{\text{live}}=4\ \text{s}