potassium-argon dating
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potassium-argon dating

Method for determining the age of igneous rocks based on the amount of argon-40 in the rock. Radioactive potassium-40 decays to argon-40 with a half-life of about 1.3 billion years, making this method useful for dating rocks that are billions of years old. A more sophisticated method, called argon-argon dating, provides a more accurate estimate of the original potassium-40 content by means of the ratio of argon-40 to argon-39 in the rock, thus yielding a more accurate age determination. See also dating.

potassium-argon dating [pə′tas·ē·əm ′är‚gän ′dād·iŋ]

(geology)

Dating of archeological, geological, or organic specimens by measuring the amount of argon accumulated in the matrix rock through decay of radioactive potassium.

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potassium-argon dating (redirected from K-Ar dating)

potassium-argon dating

potassium-argon dating
(redirected from K-Ar dating)