Radioactive Dating

Front

What is the average numerical age, in years, of a rock or object?

Back

Absolute Age

Front

What is the time required for half of the parent isotope to decay into daughter isotopes?

Back

Half-life

Front

What do we call species that existed on Earth for a short length of time, were abundant, and inhabited many locations?

Back

Index Fossils

Front

What are the basic building blocks of matter that contain protons, electrons, and neutrons?

Back

Atoms

Front

What principle states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the bottom?

Back

Principle of Superposition

Front

What is the term for the process by which unstable isotopes decay into stable ones over time?

Back

Radioactive Decay

Front

What is the term for the age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks?

Back

Relative Age

Front

What is the name of the method used to determine the absolute age of rocks using radioactive isotopes?

Back

Radiometric Dating

Front

What is the term for the time it takes for half of a radioactive substance to decay?

Back

Half-life

Front

What are fossils called that are used to define and identify a particular time period in the geological time scale?

Back

Index Fossils