Multiple choice

Radioactive dating __________.

  1. is the time period during which radio-isotope decays completely

  2. is the method of calculating the age of a substance by measuring the radioactive material it contains

  3. is the method for detection of radiations from radioactive substances

  4. none of these
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B Correct answer
Explanation

Radioactive dating (also called radiometric dating) calculates the age of rocks, fossils, or archaeological materials by measuring the ratio of a radioactive isotope to its decay product. This relies on known half-lives - not the time for complete decay (which takes infinite time). It's different from radiation detection methods.

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