Using Radioactive Decay to Determine Geologic Age

How can radioactive decay help date old objects? Learners explore half-life and radioactive decay by conducting an experiment using pennies to represent atoms. Young scientists graph data from the experiment to identify radioactive decay...

Article describing efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries to determine the Earth's age, particularly using naturally occurring radioactivity. It notes that scientific disciplines frequently overlap in the work they do. Questions are...

How has Earth changed over time? Pupils explore the topic in a differentiated instruction unit on the geological time scale. After a pre-assessment to gauge knowledge, class members divide into groups based on their ability levels and...

Learners simulate radioactive decay and nuclear power using an on line interactive web site. In this on line lesson plan, students monitor radioactive isotopes and record the activity of a particular element as the decay progresses. They...

Here is a fine lesson plan on geology designed for high schoolers. Learners use rocks, fossils, and other geological clues to determine the geology of an area. Then, they make recommendations to a fictitious city council about the...

We can learn from the past to protect the future. Pairs look at two historical earthquakes: San Francisco, Calif., and Kobe, Japan. Pupils compare the two earthquakes and their impacts, then determine how engineers may use the...

Determine what young pupils already know about earth science with a brainstorming activity. After class members work together to complete a KWL chart about the Earth, they craft an acrostic poem to demonstrate their understanding.

Have you ever wondered how paleontologists and geologists determine the age of fossils or geologic events that occurred in the past? Explore the processes of radioactive decay and radioactive dating. The chemistry of half-lives of...

When an earthquake happens, how are scientists able to determine the original location of the quake? For this project, you'll use archived data from a network of seismometers to find out for yourself. You'll create your own seismograms...

When an earthquake happens, how are scientists able to determine the original location of the quake? In this project, you'll use archived data from a global network of seismometers to find out for yourself. You will make your own...