[Physics] Why does the same proportion of a radioactive substance decay per time period? (half life)

half-lifenuclear-physicsradioactivity

Just wondering, if decay is random, why does the activity half every half life, as in, why does it have to reduce by the same proportion in the same time period?

Best Answer

An example that might help:

Start with a big pile of coins. Flip them. Remove the heads. About half remain.

Take the remainder and flip them. Remove the heads. About half remain.

Take the remainder and flip them. Remove the heads. About half remain.

The analogy: An atom has a 50% chance of decaying in some particular interval $T_{1/2}$. After each of those intervals, half are left.