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Radioactivity is the tendency of certain atoms to decay into lighter atoms, a process that emits energy. Radioactivity also provides a way to find the absolute age of a rock. First, we need to know about radioactive decay. Some isotopes are radioactive; radioactive isotopes are unstable and spontaneously change by gaining or losing particles. Two types of radioactive decay are relevant to dating Earth materials (Table 1.1): Particle Alpha Composition 2 protons, 2 neutrons Beta 1 electron Effect on Nucleus The nucleus contains two fewer protons and two fewer neutrons. One neutron decays to form a pro- ton and an electron. The electron is emitted. The radioactive decay of a parent isotope (the original element) leads to the formation of stable daughter product, also known as daughter isotope. As time passes, the number of parent isotopes decreases and the number of daughter isotopes increases (Figure 1.1). Radioactive materials decay at known rates, measured as a unit called half-life. The half-life of a radioactive substance is the amount of time it takes for half of the parent atoms to decay. This is how the material decays over time (see Table 1.2). No. of half lives passed 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Percent parent remaining 100 50 25 12.5 6.25 3.125 1.563 0.781 0.391 Percent daughter produced 0 50 75 87.5 93.75 96.875 98.437 99.219 99.609 Pretend you find a rock with 3.125% parent atoms and 96.875% daughter atoms. How many half lives have passed? If the half-life of the parent isotope is 1 year, then how old is the rock? The decay of radioactive materials can be shown with a graph (Figure 1.2). Notice how it doesnt take too many half lives before there is very little parent remaining and most of the isotopes are daughter isotopes. This limits how many half lives can pass before a radioactive element is no longer useful for Decay of an imaginary radioactive sub- stance with a half-life of one year. dating materials. Fortunately, different isotopes have very different half lives. Click image to the left or use the URL below. URL:

radioactive decay of an isotope leads to the formation of a ____________ product.