2. Radioactive Decay some atoms are unstable
…occasionally emitting particles
from nucleus to become more stable
(radioactivity)
this changes the atom
into a different type of
atom (parent element
decays to daughter element)

3. Radioactive Decay cannot predict when a particular atom will decay
…BUT, when there are many atoms,
the whole group decays in a regular manner
if you wait a certain amount of time and 3% decays,
then if you wait that same amount of time again, 3%
of the remainder will have decayed
if you wait for ½ to decay (the half-life),
then ½ will decay each half-life

4. Radioactive Decay half-lives 1 1:1 1/2 (50%) 2 1:3 1/4 (25%) 3 1:7 1/81
1:1
1/2
(50%) 2
1:3
1/4
(25%) 3
1:7
1/8
(12.5%) 4
1:15
1/16
(6.25%) 5
1:31
1/32
(3.125%)
parent-to-
daughter
1:0
fraction
of parent 1
(100%)
parent
daughter

5. Radioactive Dating we can use this to date things…
K-Ar Rb-Sr U235-Pb U238-Pb Th-Pb Sm-Nd
1) constant rate
if we assume some things:
4) how much
parent added
or taken away
5) how much
daughter added
2) how much
parent at start
3) how much
daughter at start

6. but something is not right… both biblically & scientifically
Radioactive Dating
but something is not right… both biblically & scientifically
Bible
Radiometric Dating
earth origin
~6000 yrs old
4,500,000,000 yrs old
Flood
~4500 yrs old
600-65,000,000 yrs old
human origin
2,000,000 yrs old
Biblically…

7. Radioactive Dating Scientifically…
but something is not right… both biblically & scientifically
Scientifically…
different radiometric methods on same rock
 different results
U-238/ Pb-206
U-235/ Pb-207
Pb-207/ Pb-206
Dating Method
1936 – 1996 ma.
2176 – 2247 ma.
2435 – 2459 ma.
Rock A
1711 – 1863 ma.
2045 – 2111 ma.
2421 – 2447 ma.
Rock B

8. So, what is wrong? Which assumption(s) is(are) wrong?
Radioactive Dating
So, what is wrong? Which assumption(s) is(are) wrong?
1) constant rate
2) how much
parent at start
3) how much
daughter at start
4) how much
parent added
or taken away
5) how much
daughter added

9. has occurred since the creation
Radioactive Dating
Earth rocks show that billions of years of radiometric decay
has occurred since the creation
parent/daughter ratios
helium (from radiometric decay) in rocks
radiation damage
fission tracks
…including in Flood & post-Flood rocks
convincing most people that rocks and fossils are millions and billions of years old
…apparently because of modern laws of physics!

10. has occurred since the creation
Radioactive Dating
Clues…
1) Earth rocks show that billions of years of radiometric decay
has occurred since the creation
2) Earth rocks contain evidence of youth as well!
vestiges from fossil ancestors  <1 million years
inter-specific hybrids  <<1 million years
Flood fossils with C-14 dates thousand years
helium in creation rocks leaking only ~6000 years

11. to reconcile much radioactive decay and short ages…
Radioactive Dating
to reconcile much radioactive decay and short ages…
radiometric decay rates were much faster in the past
(probably divine intervention in Creation & Flood
faster rate in past

12. Radioactive Dating although there is evidence of much decay,
a young earth is reasonable because of
discordant dates with different methods
evidence of youth of radiometrically ‘old’ rocks
God’s inspired eye-witness account
(more reliable than circumstantial evidence)