Principles of Radiometric Dating

Even after more than 100 years of the initial discovery of isotopes, we are yet to fully utilize their potential in science and technology. The unique properties of isotopes of elements covering the entire periodic table have wide-ranging applications. The modern earth and planetary sciences owe a lot to such exploits for understanding of the fundamental aspects of evolution of the solar system and planetary interiors. Isotopes have remained the most advanced tools in determining the timescales of various events that shaped the solar system and understanding the nature of processes that occur in it. Isotopes are either stable or radioactive. Stable isotopes are powerful tracers of geochemical processes, whereas radioactive isotopes and their products (radiogenic isotopes) are the basis of geochronology or radiometric dating.