Conceptual Physical Science (6th Edition)
6th Edition
ISBN: 9780134060491
Author: Paul G. Hewitt, John A. Suchocki, Leslie A. Hewitt
Publisher: PEARSON
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Textbook Question
Chapter 23, Problem 55E
If we divide a number by 2, and then divide the result by 2, and so on indefinitely, the answer will never be zero. Why, then, is carbon dating useful only for materials that are no older than about 50,000 years? (Hint: What is the half-life of carbon-14?)
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Chapter 23 Solutions
Conceptual Physical Science (6th Edition)
Ch. 23 - Prob. 1RCQCh. 23 - What six principles are used in relative dating?...Ch. 23 - A granitic dike is found across a sandstone layer....Ch. 23 - Why dont all rock formations show a continuous...Ch. 23 - How are fossils used in determining geologic time?Ch. 23 - In a sequence of sedimentary rock layers, the...Ch. 23 - Prob. 7RCQCh. 23 - What is radioactive half-life?Ch. 23 - What are the half-lives of uranium-238,...Ch. 23 - Prob. 10RCQ
Ch. 23 - Prob. 11RCQCh. 23 - Which of the geologic time units spans the...Ch. 23 - Prob. 13RCQCh. 23 - What key developments in life occurred during...Ch. 23 - What evidence do we have of Precambrian life?Ch. 23 - The Paleozoic era experienced several fluctuations...Ch. 23 - Prob. 17RCQCh. 23 - Prob. 18RCQCh. 23 - What life forms are associated with the Devonian...Ch. 23 - Why are internal nostrils in the lobe-finned...Ch. 23 - Why do many geologists consider the lobe-finned...Ch. 23 - During what time period were most coal deposits...Ch. 23 - In what area of the United States do we find rich...Ch. 23 - What group evolved from the amphibians with the...Ch. 23 - Prob. 25RCQCh. 23 - What is the most likely cause of the Cretaceous...Ch. 23 - What effect did the breakup of Pangaea have on sea...Ch. 23 - How is the element iridium related to the time of...Ch. 23 - Which epochs make up the Tertiary period? The...Ch. 23 - What important life forms evolved during the...Ch. 23 - Refer to the accompanying figure. Using the...Ch. 23 - On a cross section, a dark wavy line is used to...Ch. 23 - If fine muds were laid down at a rate of 1 cm/1000...Ch. 23 - With the formation of Pangaea, disconnected...Ch. 23 - The decay of radioactive elements to stable...Ch. 23 - Going from oldest to youngest, rank these life...Ch. 23 - The geologic time scale is subdivided into eons,...Ch. 23 - Prob. 38TARCh. 23 - Throughout geologic time there have been several...Ch. 23 - Throughout geologic time there have been many...Ch. 23 - The Cenozoic is known for many tectonic events. In...Ch. 23 - Each period of the Paleozoic saw marked changes in...Ch. 23 - Prob. 43TARCh. 23 - If a sedimentary rock contains inclusions of...Ch. 23 - Granitic pebbles within a sedimentary rock have a...Ch. 23 - Two isolated rock outcrops share a few similar...Ch. 23 - Suppose that in an undeformed sequence of rocks,...Ch. 23 - In a sequence of sedimentary rock layers, the...Ch. 23 - What is the difference between a nonconformity and...Ch. 23 - Prob. 50ECh. 23 - What general assumption must be made to understand...Ch. 23 - Suppose you see a sequence of sedimentary rock...Ch. 23 - In dating a mineral, what is meant by resetting...Ch. 23 - A radiometric date is determined from mica that...Ch. 23 - If we divide a number by 2, and then divide the...Ch. 23 - Which isotopes are most appropriate for dating...Ch. 23 - Has the amount of uranium in Earth increased over...Ch. 23 - Before the discovery of radioactivity, how did...Ch. 23 - In the geologic time scale, which time division...Ch. 23 - What is the basis for the division of the geologic...Ch. 23 - What factors are believed to have contributed to...Ch. 23 - Prob. 62ECh. 23 - Prob. 63ECh. 23 - How did the Precambrian atmosphere become...Ch. 23 - Why is it difficult to find fossils in Precambrian...Ch. 23 - What are strematolites, and what is their...Ch. 23 - Prob. 67ECh. 23 - Prob. 68ECh. 23 - Prob. 69ECh. 23 - Prob. 70ECh. 23 - Prob. 71ECh. 23 - Coal beds form from the accumulation of plant...Ch. 23 - Prob. 73ECh. 23 - What can cause a rise in sea level? Is this likely...Ch. 23 - What are some potential worldwide consequences...Ch. 23 - What is the significance of an amniote egg?Ch. 23 - Prob. 77ECh. 23 - What effect did the breakup of Pangaea have on...Ch. 23 - Was there a time when dinosaurs and humans...Ch. 23 - Prob. 80ECh. 23 - Prob. 81ECh. 23 - How does basaltic lava in a rift zone separate two...Ch. 23 - Prob. 83ECh. 23 - What is the Anthropocene epoch?Ch. 23 - Prob. 85ECh. 23 - Prob. 86ECh. 23 - What event allowed the evolution of many mammals...Ch. 23 - Prob. 88ECh. 23 - Prob. 89ECh. 23 - Prob. 90ECh. 23 - Prob. 91ECh. 23 - Prob. 92ECh. 23 - How old are the oldest rocks on Earth? About how...Ch. 23 - During Earth's long history, life has emerged and...Ch. 23 - Prob. 95ECh. 23 - Prob. 96ECh. 23 - Prob. 97DQCh. 23 - How have modern humans affected geologic...Ch. 23 - Prob. 99DQCh. 23 - Prob. 100DQCh. 23 - The principle of superposition is that each new...Ch. 23 - Life forms throughout Earths past have emerged in...Ch. 23 - The time it takes for 50% of a radioactive...Ch. 23 - Development of Earths oceans was probably due to...Ch. 23 - Prob. 5RATCh. 23 - The Paleozoic experienced several fluctuations in...Ch. 23 - The most important event during the Cambrian...Ch. 23 - The formation of the supercontinent of Pangaea (a)...Ch. 23 - Prob. 9RATCh. 23 - The creation of the San Andreas Fault corresponded...
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