The Uranium-238 Decay Series. Uranium-Thorium dating is based on the detection by mass spectrometry of both the parent (234U) and daughter (230Th) products of decay, through the emission of an alpha particle. With time, Thorium 230 accumulates in the sample through radiometric decay.The Uranium-238 Decay Series

How accurate is uranium series dating?

U-Th dating yields the most accurate results if applied to precipitated calcium carbonate, that is in stalagmites, travertines, and lacustrine limestones. Bone and shell are less reliable. Mass spectrometry can achieve a precision of ±1%. Conventional alpha countings precision is ±5%.

What is Uranium Thorium lead dating?

Uranium-thorium-lead dating, also called Common-lead Dating, method of establishing the time of origin of a rock by means of the amount of common lead it contains; common lead is any lead from a rock or mineral that contains a large amount of lead and a small amount of the radioactive progenitors of lead—i.e., the

How is rock dated?

To establish the age of a rock or a fossil, researchers use some type of clock to determine the date it was formed. Geologists commonly use radiometric dating methods, based on the natural radioactive decay of certain elements such as potassium and carbon, as reliable clocks to date ancient events.