potassium-40
Banana radiation source
Potassium-40 is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of potassium, present in trace amounts in all living things.
It decays slowly, with a half-life of about 1.25 billion years, making it useful for dating ancient rocks and minerals.
Bananas, rich in potassium, contain small amounts of potassium-40—a fact often cited to illustrate how ubiquitous low-level radiation is.
Study of geological ages
- radiometricMeasuring by radiation
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- feldsparSilicate mineral group
mica · biotite · hornblende · volcanic · igneous · paleoanthropology · hominid · tuff
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- neutronUncharged nuclear particle
- protonPositive nuclear particle
gamma-ray · abundance · nucleosynthesis · radioisotope · stable · daughter · primordial · radioactive
Silicate mineral group
- micaLayered silicate mineral
- biotiteIron-rich layered silicate
- graniteIgneous rock, quartz-rich
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
igneous · metamorphic · minerals · crust · mantle · tectonics · volcanic · plutonic
Highest-energy electromagnetic wave
- ionizingProducing charged particles
- dosimetryRadiation absorption measurement
- terrestrialRelating to land
- environmentalOf natural surroundings
radionuclide · activity · shielding · detection · spectroscopy
geochronology
Study of geological ages
- radiometricMeasuring by radiation
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
feldspar · mica · biotite · hornblende · volcanic · igneous · paleoanthropology · hominid · tuff
half-life
Period for fifty-percent reduction
proton · gamma-ray · abundance · nucleosynthesis · radioisotope · stable · daughter · primordial · radioactive · emission
feldspar
Silicate mineral group
basalt · igneous · metamorphic · minerals · crust · mantle · tectonics · volcanic · plutonic · silicates
gamma-ray
Highest-energy electromagnetic wave
- ionizingProducing charged particles
- dosimetryRadiation absorption measurement
- terrestrialRelating to land
environmental · radionuclide · activity · shielding · detection · spectroscopy