Radiometric Dating and Radioactive Decay

The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample of Carbon-14 to decay is its...

• era

• age

• half-life

• eon

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

In determining the age of ancient artifacts, radiometric dating is effective because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes _____.

• change over time

• change from place to place

• are constant

• vary widely

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

If a scientist measures the amount of carbon-14 in a fossil and finds it to be half of what it would be in a living organism, what percent of the original carbon-14 is left in the fossil?

• 100%

• 75%

• 50%

• 25%

Scientists use radioactive decay to measure the age of archaeological artifacts by...

• relative time

• absolute time

• half-lives

• time of day

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

A geologist discovers a rock sample with radioactive elements.  After analysis, it's determined that 12.5% of the original radioactive elements remain. How many half-lives has the rock experienced? (Hint, at Half-Life = 0, you start with 100%)

• zero

• 1

• 2

• 3

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

As time passes, unstable parent materials decays into stable

• carbon

• daughter material

• uranium 238

• Argon

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

A newly formed volcanic rock that has just solidified from magma will contain

• only parent isotopes

• only daughter material

• an even mix of parent and daughter

• can't be determined

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Imagine a scientist studying a sample of Uranium-235. The amount of time it takes for 50% of this sample to decay into stable Lead-207 is called:

• superposition

• radioactive isotope

• half-life

• disturbances

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Which type of dating method can be used to determine the exact age of a fossil by analyzing the decay of radioactive isotopes within it?

• Relative dating

• Carbon dating

• Radiometric dating

• Index fossil dating

In a nuclear reactor, the original element that undergoes radioactive decay is known as the...

• daughter element

• half-life

• parent element

• carbon-14

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8