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Understanding Absolute Dating Methods

This document discusses absolute dating using radioactive isotopes. It defines absolute dating as providing the age of a fossil or rock in years rather than relative terms. Radiometric dating, which involves measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes, is the most common method of absolute dating. The document explains the basics of atoms, isotopes, and radioactive decay. It describes how the half-life of a radioactive parent isotope can be used to determine the age of a sample by measuring the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes. Choosing an appropriate radioactive isotope depends on the element present in the sample and the estimated age range.

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John Osborne
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339 views9 pages

Understanding Absolute Dating Methods

This document discusses absolute dating using radioactive isotopes. It defines absolute dating as providing the age of a fossil or rock in years rather than relative terms. Radiometric dating, which involves measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes, is the most common method of absolute dating. The document explains the basics of atoms, isotopes, and radioactive decay. It describes how the half-life of a radioactive parent isotope can be used to determine the age of a sample by measuring the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes. Choosing an appropriate radioactive isotope depends on the element present in the sample and the estimated age range.

Uploaded by

John Osborne
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Absolute Dating by

the Use of
Radioactive Isotopes
What is Absolute Dating?
 Age of a fossil or rock is given in years
instead of relative terms like before and
after, early and late.

 Does not mean it isn’t without error

 Radiometric dating is the most


common type of absolute dating.
Atoms and Isotopes: Let’s
review the basics
Chemical symbol  The number of protons in an atom
for element determines which element it is.
Mass #
(protons + A
neutrons)
Z X  If you change the # of protons, the
element changes & the mass
Atomic # (protons) changes.

 If you change the # of neutrons, the


element stays the same, but the
mass changes

 ISOTOPES - atoms of the


same element that have
http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/c
hem30/images/e_deuterium.jpg
different numbers of neutrons
Why Are Some Isotopes Radioactive?
 Isotopes that have the right amount of neutrons are
called stable. They always stay the same.

 Some isotopes have a few too many neutrons or not


enough - This makes them unstable and radioactive.

 The nuclei of these radioactive atoms change or


decay by giving off radiation in the form of particles or
electromagnetic waves until the atom reaches a
stable state.
Radioactive Decay
 During radioactive decay, the number of protons in
the atom changes, and one element transforms into
another.
 Parent isotopes decay into daughter isotopes.
 Radioactive Decay is like popping popcorn.
 Each radioactive parent always
decays to a specific daughter.
 There is no way to predict
which atoms will decay first.
 Radioactive atoms decay at a
specific rate.
 Once they decay, they can
not change back.
How Long Does Radioactive Decay Take?

 Half-Life - the time it takes for half of the


radioactive or parent isotopes in a sample to
decay to daughter isotopes.

 Each parent has a 50% chance of decaying during


1 half-life.
 Measured in seconds, minutes, years, etc.
 Each isotope has its own unique half-life.
 From thousandths of a second to billions of years
Starting the Stopwatch

 If you measure the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes, you can


determine how many half-lives have passed.
 Find the half-life of the parent isotope

 # of half-lives × length of half-life = age of sample


 Example: 3 half-lives; 1 half-life = 200 years
Atoms Don’t Age the Way We Do

Start with 16 baby


1 aliens, wich have 70
year half-lives
2 3
4 half-lives = 280 years
4
Each atom has a 50%
chance of decaying
during a half-life.

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/isotopes/ima
ges/age280_baby.jpg
How to Choose Which Isotope to Use
 Estimate the age of your
sample and choose an
isotope with an appropriate
range.
 First find out what minerals
are in your sample. The
minerals in your rock need to
have the element you want to
use for dating.
 Carbon-14 can only be used
to date samples that were
once living (organic)
K-40: feldspar & mica
 Ex: Wood, bone, cloth,
paper
Uranium: zircon

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