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What advantage does radiometric dating have over relative dating?

Answer 1

Actually none. radiometric dating can not easily be used to date fossils and when the dates between the radioactive dates contradict the relative dates based on fossils the fossils always win.

The majority of fossils do not contain carbon, so carbon 14 radiometric dating cannot be used to date a fossil that does not contain carbon.2. Carbon 14 has a half-life of only 5,700 years, or approximately, which means that in 10 half lives 57,000 years. There is not enough Carbon 14 left to be used for radioactive dating.3. All other forms of radioactive dating are based on the radioactive decay of igneous rocks. Very few fossils have been found in igneous rocks; most fossils are found in sedimentary rocks, so radioactive dating cannot be used to date sedimentary rocks.4. Radioactive dating frequently yields dates that are inaccurate.

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Answer 2

Michael Adams

Radiometric dating provides absolute numerical ages, while relative dating only establishes the sequence of events.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.