Radioactive Decay Dating: Uncovering The Age Of Sedimentary Rocks
Radioactive decay dating of sedimentary rocks involves measuring the abundance of radioactive isotopes (e.g., potassium-40) and their stable decay products (e.g., argon-40) to determine the age of the rocks. As radioactive isotopes decay at a constant rate, the ratio of isotopes changes over time. By comparing the measured ratio to the known decay rate, geologists…