Question 1

Carbon-14 can be used to date wood and other natural organic materials used by aboriginal peoples of North and South America.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Uranium has two, long-lived, radioactive isotopes, U-238 and U-235.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Why is the major branch of the K-40 decay to Ca-40 not useful in most cases for whole rock dating?

Accepted Answer

A) It only works 89% of the time. 
B) The Ca-40 that is produced by decay is indistinguishable from the naturally most abundant isotope of Ca that may have been present initially. 
C) The decay to Ar-40 is faster and has wider geologic applicability. 
D) Ca-40 is itself unstable and further decays to more daughter products. 
A) It only works 89% of the time. 
B) The Ca-40 that is produced by decay is indistinguishable from the naturally most abundant isotope of Ca that may have been present initially. 
C) The decay to Ar-40 is faster and has wider geologic applicability. 
D) Ca-40 is itself unstable and further decays to more daughter products.

Carbon-14 can be used to date wood and other natural organic materials used by aboriginal peoples of North and South America.

Uranium has two, long-lived, radioactive isotopes, U-238 and U-235.

Why is the major branch of the K-40 decay to Ca-40 not useful in most cases for whole rock dating?

An Introduction to Geology and Plate Tectonics

Minerals: The Building Blocks of Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Volcanoes and Volcanic Processes

Weathering and Soil

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Crustal Deformation

Earthquakes and Earth's Interior

The Ocean Floor

Plate Tectonics: The Framework for Modern Geology

Mountain Building and Continental Frameworks

Mass Wasting: The Work of Gravity

Running Water

Groundwater

Glaciers and Glaciation

Deserts and Winds

Shorelines

Mineral and Energy Resources

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Exam 8: Geologic Time

Carbon-14 can be used to date wood and other natural organic materials used by aboriginal peoples of North and South America.

Uranium has two, long-lived, radioactive isotopes, U-238 and U-235.

Why is the major branch of the K-40 decay to Ca-40 not useful in most cases for whole rock dating?

An Introduction to Geology and Plate Tectonics

Minerals: The Building Blocks of Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Volcanoes and Volcanic Processes

Weathering and Soil

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Crustal Deformation

Earthquakes and Earth's Interior

The Ocean Floor

Plate Tectonics: The Framework for Modern Geology

Mountain Building and Continental Frameworks

Mass Wasting: The Work of Gravity

Running Water

Groundwater

Glaciers and Glaciation

Deserts and Winds

Shorelines

Mineral and Energy Resources

Filters