Radiometric Dating

Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes _____.

• change over time

• change from place to place

• are constant

• vary widely

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

How many grams of Carbon-14 will remain after 17,100 years- C-14 has a half life 5,730 so 17,100 is about 3 half lives?

• 32 g

• 16 g

• 8 g

• 4 g

You find a rock sample with radioactive atoms present.  If 25% of the original radioactive atoms were present, how many half-lives has the rock been around for? (Hint, at Half-Life = 0, you start with 100%)

• zero

• 1

• 2

• 3

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

The table shows the radioactive decay of carbon-14. Part of the table has been left blank.
After 22,800 years, approximately what percentage of the original carbon-14 remains?

• 15%

• 12.5%

• 6.25%

• 3.125%

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

The characteristic of the radioactive isotope uranium-238 that makes this isotope useful for accurately dating the age of a rock is the isotope’s 

• organic origin

• constant half life

• common 
  occurrence in sediment

• resistance to weathering

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...

• relative time

• absolute time

• half-lives

• time of day

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its...

• era

• age

• half-life

• eon

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

If the half-life of a radioactive group of atoms is 100 years, then how old is the rock if there have been two half-lives?

• 25 years

• 200 years

• 400 years

• 800 years

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

The original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element

• half-life

• parent element

• carbon-14

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

The element that is the product of radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element

• half-life

• parent element

• carbon-14

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8