How does radioactive dating determine the age of fossils

Radiometric dating of rocks and minerals using naturally occurring, long-lived radioactive isotopes is troublesome for young-earth creationists because the techniques have provided overwhelming evidence of the antiquity of the earth and life. Some so-called creation scientists have attempted to show that radiometric dating does not work on theoretical grounds for example, Arndts and Overn ; Gill but such attempts invariably have fatal flaws see Dalrymple ; York and Dalrymple Other creationists have focused on instances in which radiometric dating seems to yield incorrect results. In most instances, these efforts are flawed because the authors have misunderstood or misrepresented the data they attempt to analyze for example, Woodmorappe ; Morris HM ; Morris JD Only rarely does a creationist actually find an incorrect radiometric result Austin ; Rugg and Austin that has not already been revealed and discussed in the scientific literature.

Zircon is a zirconium silicate mineral found in small quantities in many rocks. It can be a variety of colours and some crystals are of gemstone quality. Zircon is sometimes confused with the metal zirconium, the zirconium oxide called zirconia, and cubic zirconia, a synthetic gemstone with an appearance that is very similar to diamond. Zircon from Strangways Range Northern Territory. The zircon has been photographed in plain light left and appears fluorescent-yellow in ultraviolet light right. Source: Geoscience Australia.

Atoms are made up of particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons, which are responsible for the mass and charge of atoms. An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains all of the chemical properties of an element. Atoms combine to form molecules, which then interact to form solids, gases, or liquids.

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