Potassium - argon dating

What is Potassium - argon dating?

Potassium-argon dating is a radiometric dating method used in geochronology and archaeology. It is based on the decay of potassium-40 (an isotope of potassium) into argon-40 (an isotope of argon) with a half-life of 1.25 billion years.

This method is commonly used to date volcanic rocks and minerals, as well as fossils that are millions or billions of years old. It can also be used to determine the age of geological events, such as the formation of mountain ranges or the onset of glaciation.

Potassium-argon dating relies on accurately measuring the amount of potassium and argon present in a sample, as well as knowing the decay rate of potassium-40 into argon-40.