AST 309 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Terrestrial Planet, Elementis
Document Summary
The unstable element is known as the parent element and the stable result is known as the daughter element. Can measure comparative amounts from the parent and daughter element. Radiometric dating can only measure the age of rock since it solidified. Geologic processes on earth cause rock to melt and solidify. Earth rocks cant be used to measure the solar system"s age. We must fid rocks which have not melted or vaporized since they were condensed from the solar nebula. Meteorites, the moon, sample from the hyper belt. Meteorites imply an age of 4. 6 billion years for the age of the solar system. Meteorites are left over from solar system formation. Conclusion: first rocks in our solar system condensed about 4. 6 billion years ago. For reference, the universe is thought to be 13. 8 billion years old. So solar system formed relatively recently compared to age of universe. Transition directly from gas (vapor) to solid phase.
