Here's how it works:
* Radioactive decay: Some elements are radioactive, meaning their atoms decay over time, transforming into different elements.
* Half-life: The half-life of a radioactive element is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a sample to decay. This is a constant value for each radioactive element.
* Radiometric dating: By measuring the ratio of parent (original) radioactive element to daughter (decay product) element in a rock, scientists can determine how many half-lives have passed since the rock formed. This allows them to calculate the rock's age.
Example: Carbon-14 dating is a well-known method that uses the half-life of carbon-14 to determine the age of organic materials (bones, fossils, etc.) up to about 50,000 years old.
