Chapter 29, Problem 8RQ

To determine

The age of the Earth.

Answer to Problem 8RQ

The age of the Earth is determined by the method of radiometric dating and the Earth is 4.543 billion years old.

Explanation of Solution

Earth is one of the celestial objects in the space that take place in the third position from the Sun in our solar system. It is the only planet where life exists with lots of biodiversities.

The measure of the age of the Earth is only done by the method of radiometric dating. In this method, the radioactive elements are used, and the measure of the ratio between the radioactive isotopes and their decayed product provides the half-life. The carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope used for dating the events that occurred within the last 50,000 years. By this method, the Earth's age is determined, and it is approximately 4.543 billion years.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the age of the Earth is determined by the method of radiometric dating and the Earth is 4.543 billion years old.