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Letter UGeology glossary

Uranium Lead Dating

Uranium-Lead (U-Pb) dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the decay of uranium isotopes to lead isotopes to determine the age of rocks and minerals, particularly zircon crystals. This method is significant in geochronology for dating the oldest rocks on Earth, understanding the timing of geological events, and constructing the geological time scale.

Uranium decays into lead within granite rock (Uranium Lead Dating)
Fig. 1 Uranium decays into lead within granite rock (Uranium Lead Dating)

Source Dickin, A. P. (2005). “Radiogenic Isotope Geology.” Cambridge University Press.

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