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Multiple Choice
Which of the following methods is an example of absolute fossil dating?
A
Observing the sequence of rock strata
B
Comparing the position of fossils in sedimentary rock layers
C
Using index fossils to estimate the age of rock layers
D
Radiometric dating using isotopes such as carbon-14
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the difference between relative and absolute dating: Relative dating methods, such as observing rock strata or using index fossils, provide an estimate of a fossil's age relative to other fossils or rock layers. Absolute dating, on the other hand, provides a specific numerical age for a fossil or rock.
Recognize that radiometric dating is a form of absolute dating. It uses the decay of radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14, to determine the exact age of a sample.
Learn how radiometric dating works: Radioactive isotopes decay at a predictable rate, known as the half-life. For example, carbon-14 has a half-life of approximately 5,730 years, meaning half of the carbon-14 in a sample will decay in that time.
To calculate the age of a fossil using radiometric dating, measure the ratio of the remaining radioactive isotope (e.g., carbon-14) to its decay products (e.g., nitrogen-14). This ratio allows scientists to determine how many half-lives have passed since the organism died.
Conclude that radiometric dating using isotopes like carbon-14 is an example of absolute fossil dating because it provides a specific numerical age, unlike methods that rely on relative comparisons.