Which dating technique relies on the decay of unstable isotopes such as carbon or uranium?

The technique that relies on the decay of unstable isotopes, such as carbon-14 or uranium-238, is known as radiometric dating. This method allows scientists to determine the age of objects by measuring the amount of radioactive isotopes remaining in a sample and calculating how long it has taken for these isotopes to decay to a stable form.

Radiometric dating is based on the principle of half-life, which is the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay. Different isotopes have different half-lives, which makes this technique versatile for dating materials ranging from thousands to billions of years old.

Unlike relative dating, which places events in sequence without providing an exact age, radiometric dating gives a specific numerical age for a sample. Similarly, stratigraphic dating and paleomagnetic dating rely on the analysis of layers of rock or magnetic orientations over time rather than directly measuring isotopes. Radiometric dating provides a quantifiable approach to understanding geological and archaeological timelines.