Question

Explain how a paleontologist might use absolute dating techniques to determine the age of a fossil


AND

You are digging a hole in your backyard when you see a piece of fossilized bone in the dirt. How could you prove the age of the fossil? Design a procedure for determining the relative and absolute age of the bone.


THANK YOU :)

Answer 1

You may be in the wrong category...try for science!

"When a paleontologist tries to determine a fossils age they use one of two methods. The first method is called relative dating. A cross section of sedimentary rock shows many layers. The oldest layers will be on bottom and the newest ones on top. When fossils are found in a rock, the scientist would start at the bottom and work upward to examine a sequence of fossils in the order the organisms existed. The second method is called absolute dating. Particles called atoms, make up all matter. Atoms are made of small particles. The particles are held together by strong forces. When there is not enough force to hold atom together it is said to be unstable. Unstable atoms decay by releasing either energy or particles. By measuring the ratio of unstable atoms to stable atoms a scientist can determine the approximate age of a rock sample and the fossil it contains."

That might help with the first one though.

Answer 2

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/faq.php#dating

That may also help

Answer 3

Thank you:)