answersLogoWhite

0

What is radiometric dating?

Updated: 4/27/2024
User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago

Best Answer

Any technique which dates a material based on the known decay rate of a radioactive component of the material is a form of radiometric dating. There are many radioactive elements and thus many applications of the basic principle.

Examples:

Archeologists may employ the well known method of carbon 14 dating. The technique measures the radioactivity of carbon 14 in a biological sample that may have been preserved for hundreds of years or tens of thousands of years. Knowing that the carbon 14 has a half life of 5,730 years allows the estimation of the age of the object based on the fraction of carbon 14 remaining.

Uranium-lead dating is an established radiometric dating technique. Very old rocks have been dated by measuring the amount of lead in the mineral zircon (ZrSiO4) which forms with radioactive uranium that takes more than 4 billion years to decay. By this method, the age of the Earth has been estimated to be about 4.6 billion years. This figure is in good agreement with the age of meteorites and the age of the Moon as determined independently.

See also related links.

User Avatar

Wiki User

8y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

2w ago

Radiometric dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks and minerals based on the decay of radioactive isotopes. By measuring the amount of parent and daughter isotopes in a sample, scientists can calculate the age of the material. This technique is commonly used in geology, Archaeology, and Paleontology to date objects and events in Earth's history.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What is radiometric dating?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Archaeology

What are two major methods of dating artifacts or fossils?

Two major methods of dating artifacts or fossils are relative dating, which determines the age of an object in relation to other objects, and radiometric dating, which uses the decay of radioactive isotopes in the object to calculate its age.


Explain why radioactive decay must be constant in order for radiometric dating to be accurate?

If radioactive decay rates were not constant, the passage of time inferred from radiometric dating would be inaccurate. Changes in decay rates would affect the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes used in dating, leading to flawed age calculations. The fundamental assumption of radiometric dating is that decay rates remain constant over time.


Which radiometric-dating method would be most apprioate for dating artifacts found at effi gy mounds?

Carbon-14 dating would be the most appropriate radiometric dating method for dating artifacts found at effigy mounds. This method is commonly used for dating organic materials such as wood, charcoal, or bone, which are typically found in archaeological sites like effigy mounds.


Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes?

Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes are constant and predictable over time. By measuring the amount of remaining parent and daughter isotopes in a sample, scientists can determine the age of the sample.


What is an example of radiometric dating?

One example of radiometric dating is using carbon-14 to determine the age of organic materials, such as fossils or archaeological artifacts. Carbon-14 undergoes radioactive decay at a known rate, allowing scientists to measure the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a sample to calculate its age.

Related questions

Is a geological dating method based on the decay rates of radioactive elements?

Radio metric dating.


What is the best method of radiometric dating?

Radiometric dating is the principal source of information about the absolute age of rocks and other geological features, including the age of the Earth itself, and can be used to date a wide range of natural and man-made materials.


What are four types of radiometric dating?

The four types of radiometric dating are: Potassium, Uranium, Rubidium, and Carbon I hope thats the answer you were looking for:)


Radiometric dating is an example of .?

Carbon 14 dating is the best known example of radiometric dating, but there are many others. Another example of radiometric dating is the dating of the age of geological formations on earth. The oldest known rocks on the earth that have been analyzed, have been dated back some 4.404 billion years.


What are the four types of radiometric dating?

FaultIntrusionFoldingtilting


Is carbon 14 dating radiometric dating?

Carbon 14 dating is one tpye of radiometric dating. It is used for destermiing the age of samples of one-living entities. See related links for more information.


Radiometric dating is least useful for dating what type of rocks?

Sedimentary Rocks


How do you tell how old a fossil is by the rock layer?

by relative dating or radiometric dating


Why is radiometric dating the most reliable method of dating the geologic past?

Radiometric measurement is based on the decay of certain elements, the rate of which is a known scientific fact.


According to radiometric dating estimates the earth is approximately years old?

According to radiometric dating the Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old. This age is based on dating of meteorite material.


How does radioactive decay and radiometric dating differ?

Archaeology


Why can't radiometric dating be used with accuracy on metamorphic rocks?

An accurate radiometric date can be obtained only if the mineral remained a closed system during the entire period since its formation this is why radiometric dating can't be used with accuracy.