Describe how the half-live of radioactive elements can be used to determine the age of rock through radiometric dating

What will be an ideal response?


Most rocks on Earth contain small amounts of radioactive materials such as potassium, thorium, and uranium. Radioactive materials spontaneously decay into atoms of other elements. Each radioactive material has a characteristic half-life, which is the time required for one-half of the atoms in a sample to decay to atoms of other elements. The older a rock sample is the more radioactive material will have been converted to decay product(s). Instruments can accurately measure the amount of radioactive material and the amount of resulting decay product in a rock sample. By comparing the ratio of these two quantities, the age of a rock sample can be determined, which is referred to as radiometric age dating.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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Japan is located more than 3,000 miles from any part of the United States

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Linear, magnetic patterns associated with mid-ocean ridges are configured as ________

A) concentric circles about a rising plume of hot, mantle rocks and magma B) normal and reversed magnetized strips roughly perpendicular to the ridge axis C) reversed magnetizations along the rift valleys and normal magnetizations on the ridge D) normal and reversed magnetized strips roughly parallel to the ridge

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Explain how the presence of glaciers on the planet affects the albedo of the land surface. How will the albedo change as glaciers melt? What will this mean for the climate?

What will be an ideal response?

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

A concrete obstruction built out into the water from a beach to inhibit sediment removal by littoral drifting is called a(n) _____

a. barrier spit b. tombolo c. groin d. lagoon e. longshore bar

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences