Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Secondary Integrated Science Practice test

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What is the principle behind absolute dating?

Measuring soil erosion levels
Comparing the amount of radioactive material in a rock
Counting tree rings in ancient trees
Analyzing sediment layers

The correct answer is: Comparing the amount of radioactive material in a rock

Absolute dating is a method used to determine the specific age of a rock, fossil, or archaeological artifact by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes within the material. This technique allows scientists to provide a numerical age, in contrast to relative dating methods that only establish a sequence of events. By comparing the amount of radioactive material present in a rock to its decay products, researchers can calculate how long it has been since the rock or material was formed. In this context, techniques like measuring soil erosion levels or counting tree rings pertain to different forms of analysis. Soil erosion levels offer insights into environmental changes but do not provide a specific age for materials. Tree-ring analysis, while it allows for dating and understanding growth patterns, is limited to the lifespan of the tree itself and does not give dates outside of that context. Analyzing sediment layers can indicate a sequence of deposition, which can inform on relative ages, but again, it lacks the precision of absolute dating methods. Thus, the basis of absolute dating lies firmly in the quantifiable measurement of radioactive decay.