To establish the age of a rock or a fossil, researchers use some type of clock to determine the date it was formed. Geologists commonly use radiometric dating methods, based on the natural radioactive decay of certain elements such as potassium and carbon, as reliable clocks to date ancient events.

What is a rock dating?

ra·di·o·met·ric dating (rā′dē-ō-mĕt′rĭk) A method for determining the age of an object based on the concentration of a particular radioactive isotope contained within it. The amount of the isotope in the object is compared to the amount of the isotopes decay products.

Why is rock dating important?

Dynamic Earth - Dating rocks. Gaining estimates of ages of rocks is crucial for establishing not only the history of geological events but also for determining the rates of geological processes. It is possible to establish the relative order of events in some rocks.

Are rocks alive or dead?

Rocks themselves are not alive. But in a coral reef rock-like lime substance is continually produced from the skeletons of dead rock corals and the shells of mussels and other creatures which are bound together by sponges and calcareous algae.

Can rocks melt?

It melts. The same thing happens to a rock when it is heated enough. It takes temperatures between 600 and 1,300 degrees Celsius (1,100 and 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit) to melt a rock, turning it into a substance called magma (molten rock).