Having studied the data for patterns and trends, you should now be able to draw some conclusions about how knowing the half-life of the element Lokium would help you determine the absolute age of rock in which this element is found. In a paragraph, create an imaginary example of finding a given amount of Lokium and DOL in a rock, and then determining the absolute age

Answer 1

Let's imagine a geologist discovers a sedimentary rock formation containing 80 grams of Lokium, an element with a half-life of 500,000 years, alongside 20 grams of its daughter element DOL. Using the principle of radioactive decay, the geologist can deduce that the original amount of Lokium in the rock was 100 grams, as the remaining Lokium and the DOL together represent the product of one half-life. Given that the current ratio shows a decay from the original 100 grams to 80 grams of Lokium, the geologist calculates that one half-life has occurred, translating this into a specific time frame of 500,000 years. Consequently, the geologist concludes that the absolute age of the rock formation is approximately 500,000 years, providing insight into the geological history of the area.