Radioactive dating is a way to figure out how old something is based on the fact that all things on Earth contain certain materials that change over time. Since they know exactly how fast one type of thing changes into another, they can figure out exactly how old things are based on the tiny atoms inside of them!

What is radioactive dating kids?

Radiometric dating (often called radioactive dating) is a way to find out how old something is. The method compares the amount of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope and its decay products, in samples. The method uses known decay rates. Radiometric dating methods are used to establish the geological time scale.