Hardly arbitrary. We observe isotopes. Each has an easily determinable half-life. This is evidence. It can be verified, if you care to expend the effort. True, we do assume that the universe doesn't play tricks, so we assume that the appearance of millions of years worth of apparant radioactive decay didn't happen yesterday in the blink of an eye. But this assumption isn't arbitrary either, as there are no known examples of "instant decay" which have ever been observed. Science uses inductive reasoning to develop its principles, and such principles have been remarkably effective. If there are data which undermine these principles, they will be re-examined. Until then, we're sticking with what works.
True, we do assume that the universe doesn't play tricks, so we assume that the appearance of millions of years worth of apparant radioactive decay didn't happen yesterday in the blink of an eye
"Radiometric dating is predicated on the . . . assumption - - - that throughout the earth’s history radioactive decay rates of the various elements have remained constant. Is this a warranted assumption? Has every radioactive nuclide proceeded on a rigid course of decay at a constant rate? This has been challenged by studies involving Carbon (C)-14."
"At the temperature or pressure, collisions with stray cosmic rays or the emanations of other atoms may cause changes other than those of normal disintegration. It seems very possible that spontaneous disintegration of radioactive elements are related to the action of cosmic rays and the rate of disintegration varying from century to century according to the intensity of the rays. The evidence for a strongly increasing change in the cosmic ray influx is most favorable especially in light of the decay of the earth’s magnetic field."
"Most geochronologists maintain that pleochroic haloes give evidence that decay constants have not changed. Crystals of biotite, for example, and other minerals in igneous or metamorphic rocks commonly enclose minute specks of minerals containing uranium or thorium. The a-(alpha) particles emitted at high velocity by the disintegrating nuclides interact, because of their charge, with electrons of surrounding atoms which slow them down until they finally come to rest in the host material at a distance from their source that depends on their initial kinetic energy and the density and composition of the host. Where they finally stop to produce lattice distortions and defects there generally occurs discoloring or darkening. Each of the 8 a-particles emitted during the disintegration of U238 to Pb206 produces a dark ring in biotite. Each ring has its own characteristic radius in a given mineral (in this case biotite). This radius measures the kinetic energy, hence the probability of emission of the corresponding a-particle and also the half-life of the parent nuclide according to the Geiger-Nuttall law. The Geiger-Nuttall law is an empirical relation between half-life of the a-emitter and the range in air of the emitted a-particles. If the radii of these haloes from the same nuclide vary, this would imply that the decay rates have varied and would invalidate these series as being actual clocks. Are the radii in the rocks constant in size or are there variable sizes?"
"Most of the early studies of pleochroic haloes were made by Joly and Henderson. Joly concluded that the decay rates have varied on the basis of his finding a variation of the radii for rocks of alleged geological ages. This rather damaging result was explained away saying that enough evidence of correct radii for defferent geologic periods and sufficient variation in the same period have been obtained that one is forced to look for a different explanation of such variations as were observed by Joly."
"Measurements were later made in an excellent collection of samples with haloes. It was found that the extent of the haloes around the inclusions varies over a wide range, even with the same nuclear material in the same matrix, but all sizes fall into definite groups. The measurements are, in microns, 5,7,10,17,20,23,27, and 33."
"More recent studies have been made by Robert V. Gentry. Gentry also finds a variation in the haloes leading him to conclude that the decay constants have not been constant in time."
"Gentry points out an argument for an instantaneous creation of the earth. He noted form his studies of haloes: “It thus appears that short half-life nuclides of either polonium, bismuth, or lead were incorporated into halo nuclei at the time of mica crystallization and significantly enough existed without the parent nuclides of the uranium series. For the Po218 (half-life of 3 minutes) only a matter of minutes could elapse between the formation of the Po218 and subsequent crystallization of the mica; otherwise the Po218 would have decayed, and no ring would be visible. The occurrence of these halo types is quite widespread, one or more types having been observed in the micas from Canada (Pre-Cambrian), Sweden, and Japan.” The argument seems hard to refute."
"So, then, careful scientists have measured variations in halo radii and their measurements indicate a variation in decay rates. The radioactive series then would have no value as time clocks."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Very easily you can entertain the possiblities of a godless science // evolution // govt // schools // society - - - universe . . . uniformism too - - -
all meaning // philosophy . . .is religion // fairy tales . . .
you are looking at the props // ghost town . . .
try the playwright // God . . . script // bible - - - the theme // purpose - - -
that would explain it all to you ! ! !
I know you think it is all fantasy // funny ! ! !