Difference between revisions of "Uranium-lead dating"

Revision as of 04:30, November 2, 2010

Uranium-lead dating is one of several radiometric dating techniques.

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-'''Uranium-lead dating''' is one of several [[radiometric dating]] techniques.  It is the oldest method and generally considered to be the most accurate.  It dates a material based on the [[half-life|half-lives]] for the decay of U<sub>238</sub> to Pb<sub>206</sub> or of U<sub>235</sub> to Pb<sub>207</sub>. <ref>http://geology.about.com/od/geotime_dating/a/uraniumlead.htm</ref>
+'''Uranium-lead dating''' is one of several [[radiometric dating]] techniques.
-This dating method is used on several minerals, however, it works best with the mineral zircon (ZrSiO<sub>4</sub>).  Because the formation of zircon rejects lead from its structure but allows uranium in the place of zirconium atoms, any lead present in it's structure must be radiogenic.  Given the amount of radiogenic lead and uranium in a sample, the age of the crystal can be determined.  Zircon is also preferred for its high toughness and ease of separation from other rocks.
 ==References==
 <references/>
 [[Category:Geology]]