Radiometric Dating

blah

You can date a rock by measuring the ratio of a parent isotope and its daughter. But you can only determine when the rock was formed if you know the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes when it was formed. So how is that ratio known?

standing lenticular

you assume that all daughter product is radiogenic, formed from radioactive decay process.

TRCSF

Take potassium-argon dating. Potassium 40 decays into argon 40, a gas, which can diffuse through lava and escape. Newly formed igneous rocks has essentially no argon 40. It's only when the rock solidifies that the argon becomes trapped and begins to accumulate.

Similar Threads for: Radiometric Dating
Thread	Forum	Replies
Radiometric Dating	Calculus & Beyond Homework	1
FAQ:What's the differences between Radiometric Units and Photometric Units?	Introductory Physics Homework	2
Radiometric and Photometric units	Introductory Physics Learning Materials	0
Radiometric Dating Equation Clarification	Calculus & Beyond Homework	2
Radiometric dating- creationism.org	General Discussion	6

blah	Radiometric Dating Tweet You can date a rock by measuring the ratio of a parent isotope and its daughter. But you can only determine when the rock was formed if you know the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes when it was formed. So how is that ratio known?

standing lenticular	you assume that all daughter product is radiogenic, formed from radioactive decay process.

TRCSF	Take potassium-argon dating. Potassium 40 decays into argon 40, a gas, which can diffuse through lava and escape. Newly formed igneous rocks has essentially no argon 40. It's only when the rock solidifies that the argon becomes trapped and begins to accumulate.