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Chapter 14
Section 2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| a method of determining the absolute age of an object by comparing the relative percentages of a radioactive (parent) isotope and a stable (daughter)isotope | radiometric dating |
| an atom that has the same number of protons (or the same atomic number) as other atoms of the same element do but that has a different number of neutrons (and thus a different atomic mass) | isotope |
| the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom | mass number |
| the disintegration of an unstable atomic nucleus into one or more different nuclides, accompanied by the emission of radiation, the nuclear capture or ejection of electrons, or fission | radioactive decay |
| an isotope that has an unstable nucleus and that emits radiation | radioactive isotope |
| the time required for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to break down by radioactive decay to form a daughter isotope | half-life |
| a microscopic spherical structure composed of many protein molecules that are organized as a membrane | microsphere |
| a mass of droplets of colloidal substances, such as lipids, amino acids, and sugars, that are held together by electrostatic attration | coacervate |