Life span or life expectancy describes the maximum or average amount of time that an organism, species, group, material, or substance may live for or last without breaking down. It is measured using the time of birth or the time of appearance (when a material may physically develop) or construction (when dealing with man-made productions), as well as expected life span taken from other samples of the same kind.
Life span is influenced by many factors such as health or diet, medical care and hazards within the environment of an organism. Environmental factors of all kinds have a large influence on the average life span of humans and animals as well as plant life. Modern medical care has caused dramatic increase in life expectancy among humans over the past century.
Share this Term
Let's Make Workplaces Safer!
Subscribe to the Safeopedia newsletter to stay on top of current industry trends and up-to-date know-how from subject matter authorities. Our comprehensive online resources are dedicated to safety professionals and decision makers like you.
Latest Articles
By: Daniel Clark | Safety and Quality Management System Specialist
By: Youssef Nohra, Ph.D. | EHS, Environmental & ESG, and Content Manager
