Dating Quiz

Radioactive Decay ‐ The process in which a [blank_start]radioactive[blank_end] isotope tends to break down into a [blank_start]stable[blank_end] isotope of the same element or another element

Isotopes: Atoms of the same element that have the same number of [blank_start]protons[blank_end], but different numbers of [blank_start]electrons[blank_end]

[blank_start]Parent[blank_end] Isotope: Unstable radioactive isotope [blank_start]Daughter[blank_end] Isotope: Stable isotope produced by radioactive decay

[blank_start]Half Life[blank_end]: the time that it takes one‐half of the parent material to decay

[blank_start]Radiometric[blank_end] Dating: determining the absolute age of an event using the ratio of parent material to daughter material

Radiocarbon (carbon-14) *Limit = [blank_start]62000[blank_end] years *Dating [blank_start]organic[blank_end] materials

Potassium-Argon *Used on [blank_start]oldest[blank_end] rocks

Rubidium-Strontium *Used on old [blank_start]igneous[blank_end] and [blank_start]metamorphic[blank_end] rocks

Uranium-Thorium *Dating [blank_start]ocean[blank_end] sediments

[blank_start]Relative[blank_end] Dating: Placing events in the sequence they happened [blank_start]Absolute[blank_end] Dating: Determining dates of events

[blank_start]Cross Cutting Relationships[blank_end]: Igneous intrusions and faults are younger than the layers they cut across [blank_start]Law of Superposition[blank_end]: Younger rocks lie above older rocks [blank_start]Law of Original Horizontality[blank_end]: Sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal layers Unconformity: Layers of rock missing in the sequence due to erosion