The utility of the rubidium–strontium isotope system results from the fact that 87Rb (one of two naturally occurring isotopes of rubidium) decays to 87Sr with a half-life of 49.23 billion years.

How old is the rubidium strontium dating?

The method is applicable to very old rocks because the transformation is extremely slow: the half-life, or time required for half the initial quantity of rubidium-87 to disappear, is approximately 50 billion years.

What is true when comparing rubidium to strontium?

Strontium is extracted in many minerals that are formed early, whereas rubidium is gradually concentrated in the final liquid phase. At the time of crystallization, this produces a wide range in the Rb/Sr ratio in rocks that have identical 87Sr/86Sr ratios.

What is the half-life of rubidium?

48.8 billion years RADIOMETRIC TIME SCALEParent IsotopeStable Daughter ProductCurrently Accepted Half-Life ValuesThorium-232Lead-20814.0 billion yearsRubidium-87Strontium-8748.8 billion yearsPotassium-40Argon-401.25 billion yearsSamarium-147Neodymium-143106 billion years2 more rows•Jun 13, 2001

What percentage of rubidium-87 will remain after 5 half-lives?

The original substance is callled the parent isotope and the decay product is the daughter isotope. Since 25% of the Rubidium-87 remains, approximately two half-lives have passed. After one half-life about 50% remains, and after a second half-life 50% of that 50% which is 25% remains.

Can the decay constant change?

Yes, the decay half-life of a radioactive material can be changed. Radioactive decay happens when an unstable atomic nucleus spontaneously changes to a lower-energy state and spits out a bit of radiation. This process changes the atom to a different element or a different isotope.

What percentage of rubidium-87 will be left after 4 half-lives?

The original substance is callled the parent isotope and the decay product is the daughter isotope. Since 25% of the Rubidium-87 remains, approximately two half-lives have passed. After one half-life about 50% remains, and after a second half-life 50% of that 50% which is 25% remains.

How long will it take for all the cesium-137 to decay to barium 137?

about 30 years Cesium-137 has a radioactive half-life of about 30 years and decays by beta decay either to stable barium-137 or a meta-stable form of barium (barium-137m).