Absolute Dating

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ancient history dating
Sabrina Harlen
Mind Map by Sabrina Harlen, updated more than 1 year ago
Sabrina Harlen
Created by Sabrina Harlen about 5 years ago
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Resource summary

Absolute Dating
  1. Definition: this means the artefact being dated has a specific date in the calender to when it was used. Unlike relative dating where it has an estimated time period.
    1. DATING METHODS:
      1. DENDROCRONOLOGY: this is used for wooden products such as posts and beams from particular dates in time. This is the studying of rings in the wooden products. The overlapping of rings in the wood are counted to find a date. This way of dating wood is both absolute and relative.
        1. RADIOCARBON: By measuring the amount of C14 left in an organic sample. The C14 would decay with a half-life of 5,568 plus or minus 30 years.
          1. POTASSIUM/ARGON DATING: This is a method based on measuring the decay of radioactive 40K atom into argon 40. Using spectrometer the concentration of argon in volcanic rock can be measured and the date of the layer of rock can be found out. This method can be only used for volcanic rock older than 400,000 years.
            1. OBSIDIAN HYDRATION DATING: with obsidian when it is exposed to air a layer goes around it. Over time the layer gets thicker. By measuring the thickness of the layer it gives an estimated time of usage.
              1. THERMOLUMINESCENCE: This measures the amount of radiation in an artefact from being exposed to heat or sunlight and therefore determines the time elapsed since exposure.
                1. OPTICALLY STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE: Similar to Thermoluminescence. The main difference is that the trapped electrons are released by being in bright light. Critical that the artefacts do not get exposed to sunlight when it is being collected. If so the date that was initially going to be tested would then change to the date it was exposed to sunlight and that was when they collected the artefact, therefore, results in it being inaccurate.
                  1. AMINO ACID DATING: Uses change of configuration of amino acids in biological tissues to determine date of artefact.
                  2. DISADVANTAGES:
                    1. Although scientists use great caution when dating artefacts they do make mistakes. This results in having in ascertain date of artefacts .
                    2. ADVANTAGES:
                      1. Provides an exact date to artefacts for archaeologists.
                        1. Provides information about the past in a more accurate way.
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