Radioactive dating is a method of dating rocks and minerals using radioactive isotopes. This method is useful for igneous and metamorphic rocks, which cannot be dated by the stratigraphic correlation method used for sedimentary rocks. Over 300 naturally-occurring isotopes are known.Radioactive dating is a method of dating rocks and minerals using radioactive isotopes

What can radiometric dating be used on?

Geologists use radiometric dating to estimate how long ago rocks formed, and to infer the ages of fossils contained within those rocks. The universe is full of naturally occurring radioactive elements. Radioactive atoms are inherently unstable; over time, radioactive parent atoms decay into stable daughter atoms.

What is the most used radiometric dating?

Potassium-Argon Potassium-Argon (K-Ar) dating is the most widely applied technique of radiometric dating. Potassium is a component in many common minerals and can be used to determine the ages of igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Which type of rock is best for dating using the principle of radioactive decay?

You analyze the sample and find equal amounts of parent material and daughter material. Half of the original radioactive isotope has decayed, so the sample must be about 10,000 years old. Figure 2 shows how this steady decay happens. Igneous rocks are the best types of rock samples to use for radiometric dating.