Relative age dating rocks
02-Feb-2020 00:15
From Wikipedia, radioactive decay is the process in which an unstable atomic nucleus spontaneously loses energy by emitting ionizing particles and radiation.This decay, or loss of energy, results in an atom (element) of one type, called the parent nuclide transforming to an atom of a different type (another element or another isotope of the same element), named the daughter nuclide.
When the number of neutrons is not in balance with the protons then the atom of that particular element is said to be unstable.When we age date a planet, we are actually just dating the age of the surface, not the whole planet.We can get absolute ages only if we have rocks from that surface.The effects of impacts and how they might affect us here on Earth, global climate change (Venus vs.
Earth) and what could happen to Earth in an extreme case, etc.
When there is a scientific discussion about the age of, say a meteorite or the Earth, the media just talks about the large numbers and not about the dating technique (e.g. On the other hand, when the media talk about "more recent events," ages that are more comprehendible, such as when early Man built a fire or even how old a painting is (or some ancient parchment), then we bring up the dating technique in order to better validate the findings.
