what is radioactive decay in earth science
Radioactive Decay. Â­Radioactive decay is a natural process. An atom of a radioactive isotope will spoÂ­ntaneously decay into another element through one of three common processes: 1  Alpha decay. 2  Beta decay. 3  Spontaneous fission.
Radioactive Decay. Radiocarbon dating depends on the assumption that the relative abundance of the radioactive carbon isotope in the atmosphere has been constant throughout earth's history. This concentration is used to estimate the initial concentration in living material.