potassium argon dating
1Potassium-argon dating — or K Ar dating is a radiometric dating method used in geochronology and archeology. It is based on measuring the products of the radioactive decay of potassium (K), which is a common element found in materials such as micas, clay minerals, tephra …
2potassium-argon dating — [pō tas΄ē əmär′gän΄, pə tas΄ē əm är′gän΄] n. an indirect method of dating fossils, esp. those in very ancient volcanic rock, by using potassic minerals in the same strata as a reference: a natural radioactive isotope of potassium, K 40, decays… …
3potassium-argon dating — /peuh tas ee euhm ahr gon/, Geol. a method for estimating the age of a mineral or rock, based on measurement of the rate of decay of radioactive potassium into argon. [1965 70] * * * Method for determining the age of igneous rocks based on the… …
4potassium-argon dating — noun geological dating that relies on the proportions of radioactive potassium in a rock sample and its decay product, argon • Hypernyms: ↑dating, ↑geological dating * * * /peuh tas ee euhm ahr gon/, Geol. a method for estimating the age of a… …
5potassium-argon dating — /pəˌtæsiəm ˈagɒn deɪtɪŋ/ (say puh.taseeuhm ahgon dayting) noun a method of dating rocks which depends on the ratio of potassium 40 to radiogenic argon 40 which they contain …
6potassium-argon dating — noun A method of estimating the age of igneous rocks or of archaeological objects by measuring the amount of argon that has built up through the radioactive decay of potassium …
7potassium-argon dating — potas′sium ar′gon dat ing n. gel a method for estimating the age of a mineral or rock, based on measurement of the rate of decay of radioactive potassium into argon • Etymology: 1965–70 …
9Argon–argon dating — Argon argon (or 40Ar/39Ar) dating is a radiometric dating method invented to supersede potassium argon (K Ar) dating in accuracy. In this technique, the decay of 40K to 40Ar* (* indicates radiogenic) is used to date geological events,… …
10potassium-argon — adjective Date: 1953 being or relating to a method of dating paleontological or geological materials based on the radioactive decay of potassium to argon that has taken place in a specimen …
