What method uses the difference between the initial amount of radioactive material and the current amount to determine its age?

The method that uses the difference between the initial amount of radioactive material and the current amount to determine its age is commonly known as radioactive dating. This process involves measuring the amount of a radioactive isotope within a sample and comparing it to the known decay rate of that isotope. As radioactive isotopes decay at a predictable rate, scientists can calculate the time that has passed since the material was formed by observing how much of the isotope remains.

In radioactive dating, the principle of half-life is crucial. For every half-life that passes, half of the original amount of the isotope decays into a stable product. By examining the ratio of the parent isotope to the daughter isotopes, one can ascertain how many half-lives have elapsed and, thus, determine the age of the sample.

While carbon dating is a specific type of radiometric dating that is used primarily for organic materials containing carbon, radioactive dating is a broader term that encompasses various isotopes and can be applied to a wide range of materials. Ion dating, on the other hand, is not a recognized method for dating materials based on radioactive decay.