Relative and Absolute Dating

Front

What is the difference between relative dating and absolute dating?

Back

Relative dating determines the sequence of events, while absolute dating provides a specific age or date for an event.

Front

What does the law of superposition state?

Back

In undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.

Front

What is half-life in the context of radiometric dating?

Back

Half-life is the time required for half of the radioactive isotopes in a sample to decay.

Front

How much of the original carbon-14 remains after 2 half-lives?

Back

25% of the original carbon-14 remains after 2 half-lives.

Front

What is radiometric dating?

Back

Radiometric dating is a method used to date materials by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes.

Front

What is a parent isotope?

Back

A parent isotope is the original radioactive isotope that undergoes decay.

Front

What is a daughter isotope?

Back

A daughter isotope is the product of the decay of a parent isotope.

Front

What is the significance of carbon-14 in dating?

Back

Carbon-14 is used to date organic materials up to about 50,000 years old.

Front

What percentage of the parent isotope remains after 3 half-lives?

Back

12.5% of the parent isotope remains after 3 half-lives.

Front

What is the principle of original horizontality?

Back

Layers of sediment are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.