Radiometric Dating

Radioactive dating is dating rocks by seeing how much radioactive substances are in it. These radioactive elements will decay over time. In order for radiometric dating to be accurate scientists must make three assumptions. The first of these is that the rate of decay has always been the same. It could not have changed in the rock’s lifetime. The second assumption is that the elements have not been affected by outside forces. Water couldn’t have carried away some of the rock and wind couldn’t have eroded it. The third assumption is that no daughter element existed at the beginning. The beginning element will over time decay into another element called the daughter element. When the rock formed there most likely was some of the daughter element in it. Another problem with this dating method is that, when using different methods, the same sample of rock can be dated at different ages. Unless all three of the assumptions are met, this dating method won’t work.

-Noah