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Scientists use radioactive isotopes in rocks to calculate their absolute age through a process called radiometric dating. By measuring the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter isotopes in a rock sample, scientists can determine how much time has passed since the rock formed. The rate of decay of the parent isotope into the daughter isotope provides a clock that allows scientists to calculate the rock's age.

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Can geologists use radioactive dating to find the absolute ages of extrusion and intrusion?

Yes, geologists can use radioactive dating to determine the absolute ages of extrusion (e.g., volcanic rock deposited on the Earth's surface) and intrusion (e.g., molten rock that has moved into existing rock formations). By analyzing the decay of radioactive isotopes within the rocks, geologists can calculate the age of these geological events.


How did scientist find out how old earth was?

Scientists determine the age of the Earth through various methods, including radiometric dating of rocks and meteorites, studying the decay of radioactive isotopes, and analyzing the composition of materials on Earth and in space. These methods provide estimates of Earth's age to be around 4.5 billion years.


What is the decay element of uranium?

It is not yet discovered since all of the uranium isotopes are having half life for several millions of years. We would be able to find it after atleast 700 millions of years.


What is the main purpose of both relative dating and rediometric dating?

The main purpose of relative dating is to determine the sequence of events in Earth's history without assigning specific numerical ages. Radiometric dating, on the other hand, is used to determine the absolute age of rocks and minerals based on the decay of radioactive isotopes.


What do scientists use to find a date on fossiles?

Scientists use radiometric dating methods to determine the age of fossils. This technique relies on the decay of radioactive isotopes within the fossil to estimate its age. By measuring the ratio of parent and daughter isotopes in a fossil sample, researchers can calculate how long ago the organism lived.

Related Questions

What dating uses the properties of atoms in rocks and other objects to find their ages?

Radiometric dating is a method that uses the radioactive decay of isotopes in rocks and other objects to determine their age. By measuring the ratio of parent isotopes to daughter isotopes, scientists can calculate the age of the sample.


Can geologists use radioactive dating to find the absolute ages of extrusion and intrusion?

Yes, geologists can use radioactive dating to determine the absolute ages of extrusion (e.g., volcanic rock deposited on the Earth's surface) and intrusion (e.g., molten rock that has moved into existing rock formations). By analyzing the decay of radioactive isotopes within the rocks, geologists can calculate the age of these geological events.


Find one element on the chart that has no stable isotopes?

Technetium, Promethium, and all elements heavier then Bismuth.


Can geologists use radioactive dating to find the absolute ages of the extrusion?

yes


How are radioactive isotopes used determine the absolute age of igneous rock?

Answer : When the isotopes decay, scientists can find out how old the rock is depending on the radioactive isotope's half-life. Explanation: Radioactive isotopes are unstable and will decay. For example, when humans die carbon-14 decays. The isotopes will decay into a stable isotope over time. Scientists can tell how old the rock was from looking at the radioactive isotope's half-life, which tells them how long it would take for there to be half the radioactive isotope and half the stable isotope. At the next half-life there will be 25% of the radioactive isotope and 75% of the stable isotope. At the next half life there will be 12.5% radioactive and 87.5% stable. Example: Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope with a half life of 5,730 years. How old would carbon-14 be when there is 75% carbon-14 in the rock? 75% is half of the time before the half-life, so it would be 2,365 years. Hope this helps. Half life helps scientists find how much the isotope has decayed and the age of the rock.


How are radioactive isotopes used to determine the absolute age of igneous rock.?

Answer : When the isotopes decay, scientists can find out how old the rock is depending on the radioactive isotope's half-life. Explanation: Radioactive isotopes are unstable and will decay. For example, when humans die carbon-14 decays. The isotopes will decay into a stable isotope over time. Scientists can tell how old the rock was from looking at the radioactive isotope's half-life, which tells them how long it would take for there to be half the radioactive isotope and half the stable isotope. At the next half-life there will be 25% of the radioactive isotope and 75% of the stable isotope. At the next half life there will be 12.5% radioactive and 87.5% stable. Example: Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope with a half life of 5,730 years. How old would carbon-14 be when there is 75% carbon-14 in the rock? 75% is half of the time before the half-life, so it would be 2,365 years. Hope this helps. Half life helps scientists find how much the isotope has decayed and the age of the rock.


Is radioactive decay used to find the absolute age of a rock?

its not from radioactivity its from carbon dating


True or False To find the specific age of rocks scientist cannot use radiometric dating?

False. Radiometric dating is a common method used by scientists to determine the age of rocks. By measuring the ratio of radioactive isotopes to stable isotopes in a rock sample, scientists can calculate how long ago the rock formed.


Can geologists use radioactive dating to find the absolute ages of extrusion or the intrusion?

yes they can they did it with aborinies


Elements after which element are radioactive?

The atoms that are radioactive are those with unstable nuclei. There is no easy way to tell which is which, so the isotope has to be looked up. All elements have at least some radioactive isotopes. There are 36 elements for which all radioactive isotopes are synthetic or fission products, so for practical purposes, there are no radioactive isotopes of them in nature, except where introduced by human activity. They include most of the common elements we find in nature, but not all. There are 44 elements that are found as stable isotopes, but at least traces of radioactive isotopes are found in nature. Among these are hydrogen, carbon, sodium, silicon, chlorine, and potassium, all of which are necessary for life. Radioactive potassium, in particular, is present as 0.012% of all potassium. For another group of elements, including technetium, promethium, and all with atomic numbers of 83 (bismuth) or more, there is no isotope that is stable.


What two things must scientist measure to find the absolute ages of rocks?

scientists use carbon14 and potassium argon to find absolute age of rock


What do you use to find absolute age through radioactive dating?

You measure the amount of radioactive decay that is present in certain elements that were present when the rock formed from melt.