Category:Definitions/Radiometric Dating

This category contains definitions related to Radiometric Dating.
Related results can be found in Category:Radiometric Dating.

Radiometric dating is a technique whose purpose is to work out the age $T$ of a physical object $B$.

The pieces of information are known:

$(1): \quad$ The ratio $r_0$ of a radioactive isotope $E_R$ of a chemical element $E$ to its stable isotope $E_S$ in $B$ at the time it came into being

$(2): \quad$ The ratio $r$ of $E_R$ to $E_S$ at the time now

$(3): \quad$ The half-life of the radioactive isotope $E_R$

It is known from scientific investigation what $r_0$ is when a physical object is created.

It is also known from scientific investigation what the rate of radioactive decay of $E_R$ is.

Hence it can be worked out by use of the First-Order Reaction how long it would take for the ratio of $E_R$ to $E_S$ to reach its current ratio $r$.