Uranium-238 decays through a well-known process into lead-206. Since the formation of certain minerals precludes the existence of lead but not uranium, it can be certain that when the mineral was formed it no lead in it. By measuring the ratio of remaining uranium to existing lead, the amount of time since the crystal formed can be determined.
See the links below.
Because it has a very long half life period of nearly 4.5 billion years.
The isotope commonly used to date rocks is Uranium-238 (U-238). It decays into Lead-206 over a predictable timescale, allowing geologists to determine the age of igneous and metamorphic rocks through a process known as uranium-lead dating. This method is particularly useful for dating rocks that are millions to billions of years old. Other isotopes, like Potassium-40 and Rubidium-87, are also used for dating different types of rocks.
The limitations are that it only dates the ages of rocks.
The characteristic of the uranium-238 isotope that makes it useful for dating rocks is its long half-life of about 4.5 billion years. This allows for accurate dating of rocks that are billions of years old.
Uranium-238 dating is better than carbon-14 dating for dating older geological samples because its half-life is much longer (4.5 billion years compared to 5,730 years for carbon-14). This makes it ideal for dating rocks that are billions of years old, whereas carbon-14 dating is best suited for more recent materials up to about 50,000 years old.
Radioactive dating is used to determine the age of rocks and fossils by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes within them. By comparing the amount of parent and daughter isotopes present, scientists can calculate the age of the sample. This method relies on the predictable rate of decay of certain isotopes, such as carbon-14 or uranium-238, to estimate the age of the material.
Radiometric dating is used to determine the age of fossils in rocks by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14 or uranium-238, in the fossil. By comparing the amounts of the parent and daughter isotopes present in the fossil, scientists can calculate the age of the fossil. This method provides an approximate age of the fossil based on the rate of radioactive decay.
Carbon isotopes, particularly carbon-14, are used in radiocarbon dating to determine the age of organic materials, rather than rocks themselves. For dating rocks, isotopes of uranium or potassium are more commonly used, as they have longer half-lives suitable for geological timescales. Carbon-14 is effective for dating materials up to about 50,000 years old, while isotopes like uranium-238 can date rocks that are millions to billions of years old. By measuring the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter products, scientists can calculate the time that has elapsed since the rock or fossil was formed.
The absolute age of rock can be determined using radiometric dating methods, which measure the decay of radioactive isotopes within the minerals of the rock. By analyzing the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter products, geologists can calculate the time since the rock formed. Common isotopes used for dating include carbon-14 for organic materials and uranium-238 for older rocks. Additionally, techniques like potassium-argon dating can be used for volcanic rocks and sediments.
The most common method of absolute dating is called radiometric dating. This technique measures the decay of radioactive isotopes in materials, allowing scientists to determine the age of rocks, fossils, and archaeological artifacts. By analyzing the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter products, researchers can calculate the time that has elapsed since the material was formed. Common isotopes used in radiometric dating include carbon-14 for organic remains and uranium-238 for rocks.
The main limitation of using uranium 238 for dating objects is that it has a very long half-life (4.5 billion years), which makes it unsuitable for dating more recent objects. Additionally, there can be challenges in accurately measuring the ratios of uranium and its decay products in the sample, which can affect the reliability of the age determination.