potassium-argon dating
[ puh-tas-ee-uh m-ahr-gon ]
/ pəˈtæs i əmˌɑr gɒn /
noun Geology.
a method for estimating the age of a mineral or rock, based on measurement of the rate of decay of radioactive potassium into argon.
Origin of potassium-argon dating
First recorded in 1965–70
Words nearby potassium-argon dating
potassium sulphate,
potassium thiocyanate,
potassium-40,
potassium-42,
potassium-43,
potassium-argon dating,
potation,
potato,
potato apple,
potato bean,
potato beetle
British Dictionary definitions for potassium-argon dating
potassium-argon dating
noun
a technique for determining the age of minerals based on the occurrence in natural potassium of a small fixed amount of radioisotope 40 K that decays to the stable argon isotope 40 Ar with a half-life of 1.28 × 10 9 years. Measurement of the ratio of these isotopes thus gives the age of the mineral
Compare radiocarbon dating, rubidium-strontium dating
Scientific definitions for potassium-argon dating
potassium-argon dating
A method of radiometric dating, involving analysis of the ratio of potassium 40 (a radioactive isotope of potassium) to argon (the product of radioactive decay of potassium 40) in a given sample.