Which statement is correct about carbon dating and index fossils?
Index fossils are used for absolute dating, but carbon dating is not.
Carbon dating is used for absolute dating, but index fossils are not.
They are both used to determine the absolute ages of rocks and fossils.
They are both used to determine the relative ages of rocks and fossils.
Index fossils are used to determine the relative ages of rocks and fossils, while carbon dating is used for absolute dating. Therefore, the correct statement is: They are both used to determine the relative ages of rocks and fossils.
The correct statement is: They are both used to determine the relative ages of rocks and fossils.
The correct statement regarding carbon dating and index fossils is: "Carbon dating is used for absolute dating, but index fossils are not."
Carbon dating is a method used to determine the age of organic materials, such as bones or plant remains, up to approximately 50,000 years old. It relies on the fact that carbon-14, an isotope of carbon, is present in the atmosphere and absorbed by living organisms during their lifetime. When these organisms die, the absorption of carbon-14 stops, and the isotope begins to decay. By measuring the remaining amount of carbon-14 in a sample, scientists can estimate its age.
On the other hand, index fossils are used for relative dating, not absolute dating. Index fossils are distinctive fossils that existed for a relatively short period of time and can be found in multiple locations. They serve as markers for specific time periods. By determining the age of the rock layer containing the index fossil, scientists can infer the relative age of other fossils or rock layers found in the same vicinity.
So, while carbon dating is used for absolute dating by determining the actual age of a specimen, index fossils are used primarily for relative dating, allowing scientists to determine the age of other fossils or rock layers in comparison to the index fossil.