As redioactive material decays and the percentage of new material in the original sample increases, does the age of the sample substance increase, decrease, or remain the same?
The origin of the material stays the same, but of course, as time progresses (as the decay is happening, and as we breathe), all things get older.
EIther this is an odd question, or I am missing something. As I breathe, does my age increase? Of course.
Well, radioactive decay is a bit like having an overzealous party guest who starts leaving the party one by one. As these radioactive atoms decay, new atoms of a different element are formed. So, as the original radioactive material decreases and the percentage of new material increases, it's safe to say that the age of the sample substance increases! It's like aging wine, but with way more atoms involved!
As a radioactive material decays, the percentage of new material in the original sample increases. This means that the amount of remaining original material decreases over time. Consequently, the age of the sample substance increases as more time passes and more decay occurs.
The age of a radioactive substance actually increases as it decays and the percentage of new material in the original sample increases. This is because the process of radioactive decay follows a well-known exponential decay formula, known as the "half-life." The half-life is the time it takes for half of the radioactive material to decay.
As time passes, the radioactive substance decays, meaning that the amount of original material decreases while the amount of decayed material (new material) increases. Consequently, the proportion of new material continuously increases relative to the original sample.
By analyzing the proportion of new material and knowing the half-life of the radioactive substance, scientists can estimate the age of a sample. The higher the proportion of new material, the longer it has been since the sample was originally formed, hence the age of the substance increases.