system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How small can a radioactive material get from decay?

OK. So you have a half life, which is the time it takes for half of a radioactive material to decay. For example: you have 100 grams of uranium. After one half life, it goes to 50 grams. Then after another, 25, and so on. Eventually, you get to an amount very small. Let's say 16 atoms of uranium. After another half life, you get to 8 atoms. Then 4. Then 2. Then 1. What now? This one atom can't just split, because it will become two new elements or nothing at all. So, I'm confused! I keep getting told the same thing, that the element just keeps getting smaller and never stops. But how can one atom get smaller? Does the atom "shrink"? Does the space between the subatomic particles become smaller? 


Edit: sorry, poorly worded title :(
gpt
>This one atom can't just split

Yes it can! A uranium atoms can decay into an alpha particle and a thorium atom. Thorium is also unstable; there's a long chain of decays that eventually leads to a stable lead nucleus.