What are the limitations in obtaining radiometric dates?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: When using the half-life method, scientists assume a closed system where there has been no addition or loss of parent or daughter products. If this assumption is not true, age determination will be wrong—the age will be either too old or too young. Another limitation exists for rocks subjected to metamorphism in which the rock's age has been reset. Making sure that a good sample is used, and careful cross checking between samples increases accuracy.

Physics & Space Science

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In which of the following cases would you feel weightless?

A) while falling from a roof B) while parachuting from an airplane C) while accelerating downward in an elevator D) while walking on the Moon

Physics & Space Science

In hot-work, a metal is deformed at temperatures that are either above the ___________temperature, or above 50 % of the absolute melting temperature.

Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).

Physics & Space Science

Which of the following is true of a first principle?

A) It is something that seems obviously true and needs no further examination. B) It is something that is obviously false and needs no further examination. C) It is something that is false but appears true without proper examination. D) It is something that is true but needs a lot of examination to be proven true.

Physics & Space Science

At about the position of the Earth, in the early solar nebula, the temperature was about 1,000 K, cool enough for ________ to condense out of the gas

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Physics & Space Science