RADIOMETRIC DATING Flashcards

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1
Q

a method used for sequencing rock layers, fossils, and geologic events of the earth

A

RELATIVE DATING

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2
Q

determines the sequence of events and their relative ages, but does not provide a specific numerical age.

A

RELATIVE DATING

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3
Q

Uses the following:
- Stratigraphy
- fossil correlation
- the principle of cross-cutting relationships

A

RELATIVE DATING

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4
Q

Example: Determining that one rock layer is older than another based on their position in a sequence.

A

RELATIVE DATING

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5
Q

a method used to date materials by comparing the abundance of a radioactive isotope to its decay products

A

ABSOLUTE DATING

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6
Q

crucial for determining the age of archaeological and geological specimens.

A

ABSOLUTE DATING

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7
Q

Radioactive Isotopes (6)

A

Carbon-14 (C-14)
Potassium-40 (K-40)
Uranium-238 (U-238)
Uranium-235 (U-235)
Rubidium-87 (Rb-87)
Thorium-232 (Th-232)

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8
Q

Half-life: 5730
Usage: Organic remains up to 50,000 years

A

C-14

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9
Q

Half-life:4.5 billion
Usage: Old rocks and minerals

A

U-238

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10
Q

Half-life: 1.25 billion
Usage: Geological dating

A

K-40

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11
Q

Half-life: 49 billion
Usage: Ancient rocks

A

Rb-87

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12
Q

Half-life: 14 billion
Usage: Geological processes

A

Th-232

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13
Q

Purpose: date relatively recent organic materials (e.g., bones, wood)

A

CARBON-14
(C-14)

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14
Q

Range: effective up to about 50,000 years old.

A

CARBON-14
(C-14)

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15
Q

Use: date artifacts and remains of once-living things.

A

CARBON-14
(C-14)

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16
Q

Living organisms have the same ratio of ___ to ___ as found in the atmosphere

A

C-12, C-14

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17
Q
  • Decays into Lead-207.
A

URANIUM-235

18
Q

the amount of time it takes for half of a sample of that substance to decay or reduce by half.

A

HALF-LIFE

19
Q
  • Useful for dating relatively young rocks (in geological terms) and minerals up to around 1 billion years old.
A

URANIUM-235

20
Q

Decays into Lead-206.

A

URANIUM-238

21
Q

Ideal for dating older geological formations, such as rocks billions of years old.

A

URANIUM-238

22
Q

Decays into Argon-40

A

POTASSIUM-40

23
Q

Best used for dating igneous rock, ancient geological events, such as the formation of mountain ranges or crustal evolution

A

POTASSIUM-40

24
Q

Decays into Strontium-87

A

RUBIDIUM-87

25
Q

Has a half-life of about 48.8 billion years, one of the longest half-
lives among radioactive isotopes

A

RUBIDIUM-87

26
Q

suitable for dating extremely old rocks, from millions to billions of years old.

A

RUBIDIUM-87

27
Q

Decays into Lead-208

A

THORIUM-232

28
Q

suitable for dating extremely old rocks, from millions to billions of years old.

A

THORIUM-232

29
Q

What dating method will you use to date a rock that is estimated to be around 1 billion years old?

A

ABSOLUTE DATING
(POTASSIUM-40 to be more specific)

30
Q

A fossil is estimated to be around 100,000 years old. Can carbon-14 dating be used?

A

No.
Because it is only effective up to about 50,000 years old.

31
Q

oldest fossil ever dated

A

stromatolites

32
Q

the remains or imprint of an organism that lived during a specific geological time period

A

index fossil

33
Q

used by scientists to identify and correlate the ages of rock layers (strata) in different locations.

A

index fossil

34
Q

How old is the Earth

A

4.5 Billion years

35
Q

Another name for neutron

A

gluon

36
Q

4 forces

A

Gravity
Electro magnetic
Strong nuclear force
Weak nuclear force

37
Q

cyanobacteria

A

stromatolites

38
Q

Age of oldest fossil

A

3.5 billion years old

39
Q

Age of oldest mineral

A

4.4 billion years

40
Q

Oldest mineral

A

Zircon