Radiometric dating high school
30-Sep-2019 10:45
Just as in the example with uranium, scientists are able to determine the age of a sample by using the ratios of the daughter product compared to the parent.
Also, when dating with carbon-14, scientists compare the amount of carbon-14 to carbon-12.
This means that after approximately 4.5 billion years, half of an original sample containing this isotope will decay into its decay product, forming the new isotope, Pb 206 (lead 206).
If another 4.5 billion years were to pass, then half of the remaining half of uranium-238 would also decay, leaving 25% uranium to 75% lead.
Other common isotopes used in radioactive dating are uranium, potassium, and iodine. We have over 200 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities.
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To illustrate, let's use the isotope uranium-238, which has a half-life of 4.5 billion years.These are both isotopes of the element carbon present in a constant ratio while an organism is living; however, once an organism dies, the ratio of carbon-14 decreases as the isotope deteriorates.