uranium-lead
Geochronological measurement technique
Uranium-lead is a radiometric dating method that measures the decay of uranium isotopes into lead to determine the age of rocks and minerals.
Because uranium decays at a known rate over billions of years, the ratio of uranium to lead in a sample reveals when it formed.
The technique is especially valuable for dating ancient geological formations: Uranium-lead dating confirmed the zircon crystals at 4.4 billion years old.
Pursuing romantic connections
- radiometricMeasuring by radiation
- zirconZirconium silicate crystal
- ageDuration of existence
- decayGradual organic breakdown
isotope · half-life · Precambrian · crystallization · mineral · time-scale · Archean · metamorphism
Zirconium silicate crystal
- titaniteCalcium-bearing silicate mineral
- apatiteCalcium phosphate mineral
- crystalOrdered-atom solid
- inclusionBeing made part
core · rim · overgrowth · zonation · grain · detrital · magmatic · metamorphic
Comparative numerical relation
- concordantIn harmony together
- discordantLacking musical agreement
- fractionationSeparating mixture into components
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
precision · accuracy · measurement · ablation · isotopic · standard · analytical · error
dating
Pursuing romantic connections
- radiometricMeasuring by radiation
- zirconZirconium silicate crystal
- ageDuration of existence
decay · isotope · half-life · Precambrian · crystallization · mineral · time-scale · Archean · metamorphism · radioactive
zircon
Zirconium silicate crystal
inclusion · core · rim · overgrowth · zonation · grain · detrital · magmatic · metamorphic · recrystallization
ratio
Comparative numerical relation
- concordantIn harmony together
- discordantLacking musical agreement
- fractionationSeparating mixture into components
calibration · precision · accuracy · measurement · ablation · isotopic · standard · analytical · error · uncertainty
uranium-leadcarbon-14 dating
Isotope-based age measurement
radiocarbon dating · carbon dating · dendrochronology · thermoluminescence
uranium, lead, leaden, leaded, unleaded, leader, leading, leads, led