Rubidium-strontium dating, method of estimating the age of rocks, minerals, and meteorites from measurements of the amount of the stable isotope strontium-87 formed by the decay of the unstable isotope rubidium-87 that was present in the rock at the time of its formation.

What is rubidium used to date?

rubidium-strontium dating method The rubidium-strontium dating method is a radiometric dating technique used by scientists to determine the age of rocks and minerals from the quantities they contain of specific isotopes of rubidium (87Rb) and strontium (87Sr, 86Sr).

What type of rock is commonly dated with rubidium-strontium dating?

simple igneous rocks Dating simple igneous rocks The rubidium–strontium pair is ideally suited for the isochron dating of igneous rocks. As a liquid rock cools, first one mineral and then another achieves saturation and precipitates, each extracting specific elements in the process.

What is RB Sr decay system?

The Rb–Sr decay system is one of the most widely used geochronometers for obtaining ages and cooling rates of terrestrial magmatic, metamorphic, and hydrothermal events. It has also been extensively applied to date extraterrestrial, early solar system events.

What does RB decay to?

strontium-87 It readily substitutes for potassium in minerals, and is therefore fairly widespread. Rb has been used extensively in dating rocks; 87Rb decays to stable strontium-87 by emission of a negative beta particle, i.e. an electron ejected from the nucleus.

What is an interesting fact about rubidium?

Rubidium is a silvery-white and very soft metal — and one of the most highly reactive elements on the periodic table. Rubidium has a density about one and a half times that of water and is solid at room temperature, although the metal will melt if its just a bit warmer, according to Chemicool.