07.3 Radiometric Dating

The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its...

• the relative age of something

• age

• half-life

• eon

Scientists use radioactive decay to measure...

• the 'relative' age of something

• absolute time

• half-lives of isotopes

• how unstable a nucleus of an atom is

When an unstable radioactive atom decays, it decays into:

• a more stable atom (called the daughter product)

• a less stable atom (called the unstable isotope)

• the exact same atom but with less pure energy

• empty space

Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes:

• change over time

• change from place to place

• are constant

• vary widely

The UNSTABLE element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element

• half-life

• parent element

• carbon-14

The STABLE element that is the product of radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element

• half-life

• parent element

• Parent to Daughter Ratio

An isotope is an element that has either extra or missing

• Protons

• Electrons

• Neutrons

• Dance partners

Radiometric dating is based on which of the following ASSUMPTIONS?

• a closed system

• no daughter product was present initially

• decay rates are constant throughout time

• all answers

You find a rock sample with radioactive atoms present.  If 25% of the original radioactive atoms were present, how many half-lives has the rock been around for? (Hint, at Half-Life = 0, you start with 100%)

• zero
• 1
• 2
• 3

Two isotopes of carbon are carbon-12 and carbon-14. These isotopes differ from one another by two protons.

• true

• false