How does volcanic ash help scientists to determine the age of a rock sequence?

Volcanic ash helps scientists to determine the age of a rock sequence by using the process of radiometric dating.

Radiometric dating is also known as radioactive dating or radioisotope dating. It is a technique which is used to date materials such as rocks or carbon, in which trace radioactive impurities were selectively incorporated when they were formed.

This technique is used to find out the age of a rock material. Rocks are made up of volcanic eruption so radiometric dating is used so we can conclude that volcanic ash help scientists to determine the age of a rock sequence.

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Volcanic ash helps scientists to determine the age of a rock sequence by using the process of RADIOMETRIC DATING

Explanation:

When scientist want to determine the age of a rock sequence, they try to find it they is a volcanic ash present. This volcanic ash tend to contains radio isotopes or radioactive elements that can be used to determine the age of the rock sequence. This process is called a Radiometric dating.

Radiometric dating can be defined as the process of dating rocks or other materials based or the known rate of decay of radioactive isotopes.

Radiometric dating has to involve parent and daughter radioactive isotopes therefore the following must be observed before carrying out radiometric dating.

a. The half life of the Parent radioactive isotopes must be known

b. The daughter radioactive isotopes must be available in substantial amounts and it must be differentiated from the parent radioactive isotopes

c. The parent radioactive isotope must have a longer half-life present in the volcanic ash as at the time of radiometric dating.

d. air pressure decreases as altitude increases.