TAP 516-3: Radioactive decay used as a clock

Because of the predictability of the random behaviour of large numbers of atoms, activity can be used as a clock.

Clocking radioactive decay

Half-life N0 number N of nuclei halves every time t increases by half-life t1/2 slope = activity = Activity

dN dt

halves every half-life

N0 /2 N0 /4 N0 /8 t1/2 t1/2 time t

t1/2

t1/2 Radioactive clock

t1/2

time t

In any time t the number N is reduced by a constant factor In one half-life t1/2 the number N is reduced by a factor 2 In L half-lives the number N is reduced by a factor 2L (e.g. in 3 half-lives N is reduced by the factor 23 = 8)

Measure activity. Activity proportional to number N left Find factor F by which activity has been reduced Calculate L so that 2L = F L = log2F age = t1/2 L

Practical advice
This diagram is reproduced here so that you can talk through it, or adapt it to your own purposes.

External reference
This activity is taken from Advancing Physics chapter 10, Display material 20O