Absolute Dating (half life)

Front

What is Absolute Dating?

Back

A method used to determine the actual age of an object or event in years, often using radioactive decay.

Front

What is a Half-Life?

Back

The time required for half of the parent isotope in a sample to decay into daughter isotopes.

Front

What percentage of the parent isotope remains after 1 Half-Life?

Back

50%.

Front

What percentage of the parent isotope remains after 2 Half-Lives?

Back

25%.

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What percentage of the parent isotope remains after 3 Half-Lives?

Back

12.5%.

Front

What percentage of the parent isotope remains after 4 Half-Lives?

Back

6.25%.

Front

If you start with 32 atoms of a parent isotope, how many will remain after 2 Half-Lives?

Back

8 atoms.

Front

What is the relationship between parent and daughter isotopes?

Back

As the parent isotopes decay, they transform into daughter isotopes.

Front

Why do scientists use radioactive decay?

Back

To measure absolute time and determine the age of materials.

Front

What is the formula to calculate remaining parent isotopes after n Half-Lives?

Back

Remaining Parent Isotopes = Initial Amount * (1/2)^n.