▼ Part B Radiometric dating was used to estimate the age of a hominin fossil known as "Turkana Boy" in Kenya using the r

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Part B Radiometric Dating Was Used To Estimate The Age Of A Hominin Fossil Known As Turkana Boy In Kenya Using The R 1 (75.55 KiB) Viewed 51 times

▼ Part B Radiometric dating was used to estimate the age of a hominin fossil known as "Turkana Boy" in Kenya using the rate of decay of radioactive potassium (40K) to stable argon (40 Ar). This was possible because the fossilized remains were found close to a layer of volcanic rock. Potassium-argon radiometric dating revealed that the volcanic rocks below the fossil were 1.65 million years old. The fossil was located in sediments about 18 inches above the rock layer. The researchers used estimates of the rate at which sediments were laid down on top of the rock layer to ultimately conclude that Turkana Boy's skeleton fossilized approximately 1.6 million years ago. Which of the following is an aspect of this process that makes it necessary to use the word approximately rather than exactly when describing Turkana Boy's age? Radioactive isotopes decay at variable rates, thus potassium-argon dating can only provide an estimate of rock age. The researchers may not have measured the sediment depths properly, so this statement allows for the assumption of human error. The sedimentation rates had to be estimated based on what was known about the environment. Grinding the volcanic rock into fine dust for analysis releases some of the argon gas, and this requires the results to be presented as estimates. Submit Request Answer