The precise measure of geologic time has proven to be the essential tool for correlating the global tectonic processes that have taken place in the past. Since parent uranium atoms change into daughter atoms with time at a known rate, their relative abundance leads directly to the absolute age of the host mineral.

Why is dating important in geology?

To determine the ages in years of Earth materials and the timing of geologic events such as exhumation and subduction, geologists utilize the process of radiometric decay. Geologists use these dates to further define the boundaries of the geologic periods shown on the geologic time scale.

What is the importance of geochronology?

Geochronology is an indispensable tool for reconstructing the geodynamic evolution of orogenic belts, dating the emplacement of plutonic or volcanic rocks, metamorphic events, sediment deposition and determining the age of the source rocks from which the sedimentary detritus is derived.

What are the advantages of rock dating?

Dating rocks using relative dating allows a geologist to reconstruct a series of events cheaply, often very quickly, and can be used out in the field on a rocky outcrop. Relative dating also can be used on many different types of rocks, where absolute dating is restricted to certain minerals or materials.

Why is it important to know the age of the rock?

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.

Why do we date rocks?

Relative dating techniques provide geologists abundant evidence of the incredible vastness of geologic time and ancient age of many rocks and formations. However, in order to place absolute dates on the relative time scale, other dating methods must be considered.

What is geochemical dating?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Isotope geochemistry is an aspect of geology based upon the study of natural variations in the relative abundances of isotopes of various elements.