Final answer:
Radioactive decay simulates the replacement of parent atoms with their decay products. The ratio of parent to child atoms can be used to determine the age of the atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the process of radioactive decay, the radioactive atoms, also known as parents, are replaced by their decay products, which are called daughter elements. This decay can be graphically simulated using pennies, with each penny representing a parent atom. Over time, the number of pennies or parent atoms decreases while the number of decay products or daughter elements increases. The ratio of parent to child atoms can be used to determine the age of the set of atoms.
By plotting the number of heads versus the number of flips, you create a graph that mirrors the exponential decay curve seen in radioactive materials. After one half-life, approximately half the pennies should show tails (daughter elements). By extending this to successive half-lives, following the trend, the graph would display a predictable pattern that reflects the half-life of the simulated radioactive element.