Absolute Dating
Absolute dating – determines the exact age of a rock or other object (contrast to relative dating) Two methods: Radiometric dating- uses the rate of decay of isotopes Radiocarbon dating – uses carbon-14
Radiometric Dating Radioactive decay – breakdown of atomic nuclei into new elements The radioactive parent material decays into the daughter material Half-life – the time required for one half of any original number of parent atoms to decay into daughter atoms
Radiometric Dating Radioactive decay
Half-Life
Half-life
Half-Life of Elements
Principle of Uniformitarianism Earth’s processes occurring today are similar to those that occurred in the past. Established by James Hutton