Potassium-argon dating

Potassium-argon dating is a method for estimating the age of volcanic rocks by measuring the ratio of potassium-40 to argon-40 present.

The method is based on the fact that the potassium-40 isotope of potassium decays over time to form argon-40. The useful fact about these two substances is that at normal temperatures, potassium is a solid, but argon is a gas. Therefore, during volcanic eruptions, any argon that is present escapes from the rock. But after the rock solidifies, any potassium-40 that is present continues to decay, and the argon-40 that is produced cannot escape from the rock.

Thus, geologists use potassium-argon dating to measure the age of volcanic rocks. If the concentration of argon-40 is almost zero, then the rock was formed recently. If it is high relative to the amount of potassium-40 present, then the rock is old. Archaeologists and biologists are also sometimes able to use potassium-argon dating to measure the age of artifacts and fossils, when these have become trapped in or buried under volcanic rock.

The mathematical formula that is used to figure the age of the rock depends on the half-life of carbon-40 (the time it takes for half the potassium-40 in a given sample to decay). The half-live of potassium-40 is approximately 1.26 billion years (that is, 1.26x10⁹ years).

Obviously, this formula depends on the laws of physics remaining constant over time. If the rate of radioactive decay has changed over time, the formula will not give correct dates. Most scientists believe that the rate of potassium-argon decay has not changed over the history of the earth. However, some creationists have argued that God increased the rate of potassium-argon decay during the first few days of Creation, thus causing the potassium-argon dating method to give erroneously old date readings.

Other isotopes with shorter half-lives can also be used to date objects- however, each method has its own drawbacks. For instance, the decay of carbon-14 is often used to complement the potassium-argon dating of dinosaur fossils.

See also

Radiometric dating methods This paragraph needs editing: The mathematical formula that is used to figure the age of the rock depends on the half-life of carbon-40 (the time it takes for half the potassium-40 in a given sample to decay). The half-live of potassium-40 is approximately 1.26 billion years (that is, 1.26x109 years).

On the second line it says "carbon-40". It should say potassium-40". At the end of the second line it says "half-live". It should say "half-life".

I am new to conservapedia, and so I don't know what to do or where to do it, so I'll say my piece here:

1) There is very much more to say in criticism of the accuracy of potassium-argon dating. You can find great material in the book "Adam When?" by Harold Camping. It is available for free by calling 510 568 6200, Pacific time. See page 180. This book also criticizes carbon dating, and so if your pages on carbon dating need improvement, you might improve them through this book.

Should I be doing this? Well, that's one of the things I don't understand yet. Do you have others that will if I don't? Do you have paid staff? Do you have volunteers who just can't wait to get involved editing?

2) You may have the following, but I couldn't find it: You need much much more than the story/timeline of creation. Those who read your pages will consider that they now have two sets of possible facts or two sides of the story, and they won't have any basis for deciding which is right, creationism or alleged science.

So you need to totally discredit the alleged science that shows the earth is billions of years old and man is hundreds of millions years old and evolution is whatever. And you need to make it very obvious how to find these pages.

Some subjects could be: The inaccuracy of carbon dating. The inaccuracy of potassium-argon dating. Many examples of scientists' errors. Like when stratus of fossils are found where the older species are found above the younger ones. Like Nebraska man, where a whole village was created by the "scientists" from one tooth--and then the tooth was found to be a pig's. Etc. etc. A big section with subsections on the impossibility of evolution. So so much from the book mentioned above.

I suppose you already have a little of this, but like I said, I'm new to conservapedia. But again, it is exceedingly important that you point the reader to these points, like you didn't point me, so that he may believe.

PS: Would you like a recent article entitled "Earth's Resources will Last Indefinitely"? It covers the top ten natural resources. Exactly how would I submit it to you?

Do you want great anti-abortion material? Get it from my web site www.lri2.org

In God's service, Lynn K. Murphy akjunk.astound.net

References

Quarternary Dating Methods, by M. Walker (Wiley & Sons, 2005).

Isotopes: Principles and Applications, by G. Faure and T. Mensing (Wiley & Sons, 2005).