Laboratory of Stratigraphy

EAFIT
2019-2
 The α β γ of Radioactivity

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Decay of 40K (simplified)
α
β-
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 Relación Vida Media y Constante
de Decaimiento
HijoHoy = HijoInicio + PadreDecayó
ln 2
𝑡1 =
2 𝜆
Features of a the half life of a “good” geologic clock

• Not too fast, not too slow

• Half life of the order of magnitude of the age of the event to be dated
• Exception: K-Ar or 40Ar-39Ar. Abundat K allow dating young events.
• Half life of order of magnitude of age of earth or age of the universe

40K 40Ar 11.93 Ga

87Rb 87Sr 49.44 Ga
238U 206Pb 4.468 Ga
235U 207Pb 0.704 Ga
147Sm 143Nd 106 Ga
176Lu 176Hf 37.3 Ga
187Re 187Os 46 Ga
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 ln 2 t(1/2) 238 = 4 500 Ma
𝑡1 = ln 2 = 0.7
2 𝜆 t(1/2) 235 = 700 Ma
206
𝑃𝑏
238 = eλ238 𝑡 − 1 Tiempo (Ma) 206
Pb/238U 207
Pb/235U
𝑈 0 0.0000 0.0000
50 0.0078 0.0505
100 0.0156 0.1035
150 0.0235 0.1592
207
𝑃𝑏 ... ... ...
235 = eλ235 𝑡 −1
𝑈
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