Radiometric Dating

Front

What are carbon-12 and carbon-14?

Back

Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon. Carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.

Front

Do carbon-12 and carbon-14 differ by two protons?

Back

False. They differ by two neutrons, not protons.

Front

What is absolute age in geology?

Back

Absolute age refers to the actual age of a rock or fossil, typically expressed in years, determined through methods like radiometric dating.

Front

What is relative age in geology?

Back

Relative age is the age of a rock or fossil in comparison to other rocks or fossils, indicating which is older or younger without providing a specific age.

Front

What is the significance of a constant half-life in radiometric dating?

Back

A constant half-life means that the rate of decay of a radioactive isotope is predictable, allowing scientists to accurately date rocks and fossils.

Front

What is half-life?

Back

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

Front

What is a daughter element?

Back

A daughter element is the product of the decay of a radioactive parent element.

Front

What is a parent element?

Back

A parent element is the original radioactive isotope that undergoes decay to form a daughter element.

Front

How does radiometric dating work?

Back

Radiometric dating measures the amount of a radioactive isotope and its decay products in a sample to determine its age.

Front

What is the role of isotopes in radiometric dating?

Back

Isotopes are variants of elements with different numbers of neutrons, and their predictable decay rates are used to date materials.