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Dating rocks is when the radioactive isotope, carbon-14 is used to determine the age of fossilised rocks. Carbon-14 is present in the air, and is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. When animals/people eat plant matter, they absorb the carbon-14 from the plants into their bodies. It has a half-life of 5730 years and so the mass of C14 remaining in a fossilised rock can be used to determine the age of the rock.

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Related Questions

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

Radiometric dating is least useful for dating sedimentary rocks because they are formed from the accumulation of sediments, making it difficult to determine the original isotopic composition.


Why is the isotope carbon-14 so helpful in dating rocks?

It is not useful in dating rocks. Only organic substances in terrestrial conditions. No carbon in rocks.


Does radioactive dating tell the relative age of rocks?

Radioactive dating techniques, such as radiocarbon dating or uranium-lead dating, provide an absolute age for rocks by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes within them. This helps determine the actual age of rocks rather than their relative age.


What is relitave dating?

relative dating is when you give an estimate date.


What isotope is best for dating very old rocks?

Uranium-lead dating is often used for dating very old rocks, as it has a long half-life of about 4.5 billion years. This allows for dating rocks that are millions to billions of years old with good accuracy.


Is radiocarbon dating is an effective tool for dating rocks millions of years old?

okay


Which type of rocks are best for numerical dating using radiometric technique?

Igneous rocks


How do scientist determine the ages of rocks?

They can use either radiometric dating or magnetostratigraphy.


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

absolute dating


What is good about uranium dating?

Uranium dating is very useful to evaluate the age of rocks and minerals.


Why are igneous rocks valuable to dating the earth?

they are used for radio carbon dating....and carbon 14


How was the age of rocks in ocean basins determined?

The age of rocks in ocean basins was determined through radiometric dating of volcanic rocks, which provides the absolute age of the rocks. Analyzing the magnetic properties of the rocks and the orientation of magnetic minerals helped in dating the rocks based on changes in Earth's magnetic field over time. Additionally, studying the distribution of fossils in the rocks provided relative dating information based on the known ages of the fossils.