PHSC 210 Comparative Essay

Age of the earth (radioisotope dating vs. alternative methods) PHSC 210 According to most scientists, the earth is approximately 4.2 billion years old, is hard not to think how they determined the age of Earth, thanks to technology the age of the Earth can be determined by using relative dating methods, this helps determine the numerical age of the Earth, but there are alternative methods that demonstrates that the Earth is not billions but thousands of years old. This essay will explain the different methods that old-earth secular viewpoint scientists use to determine the earths age. Also, will be explaining the alternative methods challenging old-earth dates. In addition, this paper will compare the main similarities and differences between these two methods. To determine the age of the earth, a relative dating method must be used. Scientist dig out of the ground to find fossils and/or rocks, they use Radioisotope dating to determine the age of things they find. During school, teachers tells their students the age of things scientists have discovered, but they never explain why and how the age of things are determine. “…dating method is only rarely explained to the general public… a discovery about an ancient species or a human settlement, they will mention the age of the samples but give no clue about how the age was determined or the date's confidence level” (Moran, Timothy, 2009). It might be confusing when learning how the age of the earth is determine, but to better understand, we must learn how radioactive decay occurs. Radio Active decay “is a nuclear process where the radioactive decay occurs in the nucleus of the atom and are not controlled by chemical bonds or state of matter.” (Dr. Marcus et al, 2015, P.167). Parent isotope is the Radioactive atom, and when it decays, new particles called Daughter isotope are ejected. There are four styles of Radioactive decay: Alpha decay, Beta decay, Nuclear fission, and Electron capture. In Alpha decays the nucleus emits two protons and neutrons, in Beta decay a neutron emits beta particles, in Nuclear f...

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