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Author Question: Why is zoic part of so many names on the geologic time scale? What will be an ideal ... (Read 107 times)

charchew

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Why is zoic part of so many names on the geologic time scale?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why is radiometric dating a reliable method for determining numerical dates?
 
  What will be an ideal response?



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ricroger

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Answer to Question 1

Zoic refers to life, and because fossils were used to differentiate Earth history for the most part, zoic is an appropriate ending for the names of the divisions.

Answer to Question 2

The rates of decay for many isotopes have been precisely measured and do not vary under the physical conditions that exist in Earth's outer layers. Therefore, each radioactive isotope used for dating has been decaying at a fixed rate ever since the formation of the rocks in which it occurs, and the products of decay have been accumulating at a corresponding rate.





 

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