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Radioactive or radiometric dating allows us to estimate the Earth's age by giving us the actual age of rock within a range of several million years. Radiometric dating is based on the scientific law of radioactive decay and the half-life of radioactive elements. Uranium and some other elements decay into lead over time at a specific rate. Knowing the content of these elements in the makeup of a rock allows its age to be calculated. Currently, the oldest rocks of Earth origin are estimated to be over 4 billion years old.

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What do scientists estimate earths age to be?

Scientists estimate the age of Earth to be around 4.5 billion years old. This estimate is based on the analysis of radiometric dating of rocks and meteorites.


The half life of Carbon 14 is 5470 years If a particular archaeological sample has three quarters of its original radioactivity remaining what is the best estimate for its age?

it is 2860


What is radioactivity and what does it have to do with the age of the earth?

Radioactivity is the process by which unstable atomic nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation. Radioactive elements decay at a predictable rate over time, which allows scientists to use radiometric dating to determine the age of rocks and minerals on Earth. By measuring the ratios of different isotopes in a sample, such as uranium-lead dating or carbon-14 dating, scientists can estimate the age of the Earth to be around 4.5 billion years.


What metal makes up most of the earths core?

Iron and Nickel, plus of course a collection of the heavy elements. The radioactivity of these raises the temperature to about that of the surface of the Sun, about 5700 deg C. Without these, we would possibly be in a permant ice age. simply


How is radioactivity of elements used to determine the age of the earth?

It finds the half-life of rocks.


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

its not from radioactivity its from carbon dating


What time can Radioactivity date?

Radioactivity dating can be used to estimate the age of rocks, fossils, and artifacts that contain radioactive elements. The technique relies on measuring the amount of radioactive isotopes and their decay products in a sample to determine its age. This method is particularly useful for dating objects that are thousands to billions of years old.


Why was Lord Kelvin 's age of the earth was wrong?

Lord Kelvin's estimate of the age of the Earth was based on the assumption that the planet was originally molten and gradually cooled over time. However, he was unaware of the phenomenon of radioactivity, which generates heat within the Earth's interior. This led to an underestimation of the Earth's age, as radioactive decay processes were not considered in his calculations.


During the recent ice age glaciers covered almost what percent of earths land?

During the recent ice age, glaciers covered almost 30 percent of earths land.


How does radioactivity allow us to estimate the Earth?

Radioactive or radiometric dating allows us to estimate the Earth's age by giving us the actual age of rock within a range of several million years. Radiometric dating is based on the scientific law of radioactive decay and the half-life of radioactive elements. Uranium and some other elements decay into lead over time at a specific rate. Knowing the content of these elements in the makeup of a rock allows its age to be calculated. Currently, the oldest rocks of Earth origin are estimated to be over 4 billion years old.


What age do evolutionists think the earths age is?

The generally accepted figure is between 4.5 and 4.6 billion years.


In what era did the trilobites occur?

trilobites appeared about 524 million years ago. We found this out by using relative dating (which is comparing the age of two fossils) and the most reliable absolute age (which tells you how old the fossil is by measuring radioactivity. The more radioactivity the older the fossil)