Chapter 10 Notes - Deep Time: How Old Is Old?

Flashcards focused on key terms and concepts related to geologic time, dating methods, and radioactivity as discussed in the lecture.

Geochronology

The science of dating geologic events in years.

Radioactive Atoms

Unstable atoms that spontaneously decay until reaching a stable state, releasing energy during decay.

Parent Atom

The atom that decays into a daughter atom.

Daughter Atom

The atom that is produced by the decay of a parent atom.

Half-life

The time required for half of the original parent atoms to decay to daughter atoms; it is constant and well established.

Mass Extinctions

Major events in geologic history marked by the significant loss of species.

Isotope

Variants of a element's atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Decaying Process

The process by which a parent atom transforms into a daughter atom over time.