Isotopes Commonly used for Radiometric Dating
 

Isotopes Half-life
(years)
Effective Dating Range
(years)
Dating Sample Key Fission Product
Lutetium-176 Hafnium-176 37.8 billion early Earth
Uranium-238 Lead-206 4.468 billion 10 million to origin of Earth
Uranium-235 Lead-207 704 million 10 million to origin of Earth
Rubidium-87 Strontium-87 48.8 billion 10 million to origin of Earth
Potassium-40 Argon-40 1.277 billion 100,000 to origin of Earth
Carbon-14 Nitrogen-14 5730 ± 40 0-100,000
Note: the half-life durations listed in the text sections of this tutorial are rounded off for
uranium-238 and potassium-40.

 

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