S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Radiometric dating does not fit with the "young earth" view. Radiometric dating is a method which scientists use to determine the age of various specimens, mainly inorganic matter (rocks, etc.), th...

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July 01 2013 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Nils Jansma Missionary in San Diego California

How does radiometric dating fit with the view of a young earth? Unfortunately, for Young Earth Creationists (YEC), Radiometric Dating is proof positive that the earth is at least 30,000 years old and at the most, older than 4 billion years old. 

YECs have suggested that Radiometric dating is not reliable because the radiation rate may have been different in the past which would give the appearance of great age. However, this would involve a change in the atomic nuclear Strong-Force and we know this has never happened in the indefinite past. Any change of as little as a few parts per trillion would have destroyed our sun and all the stars because they depend upon the current fine-tuned rate of radiation to hold them together in their present form.

C-14 dating is indexed using Tree ring Dendrology, Varve (annual layers of sediment) Chronology, and Ice and Sea core analysis along with others. When materials contained in these various sample products are datable with carbon 14, a correction-index can be created that compensates for changing conditions such as CO2 in the atmosphere and other variables. When using the indexed correction-curve based on these independent sampling methods, Radiocarbon dating has become acceptably accurate to more or less than 50,000 years. Thousands of samples have been C-14 dated to be older than the YEC theory allows.

However, Carbon 14 is only one of about 40 or more other dating methods that extend the dating range into billions of years. These methods can also be indexed similar to Carbon 14. Also some of these dating methods are self-checking by not allowing a date to be resolved if the sample contains unknown anomalies. 

The principle Radiometric (RM) dating methods are used for determining the absolute age of volcanic rocks. When a volcano occurs, it often leaves a deposit earth wide that contains a unique RM signature. When you find the same layers in other locations such as land, ocean and ice cores, you can cross check the accuracy of your dating method by matching your findings to observed environmental factors.

For instance, if there are two volcanic layers separated by a particular series of sedimentary deposits, dating the age difference between the two volcanic layers will give you the time-rate for the sediment to accumulate. If these accumulation rates correlate with current sediment rates, you know that your measurements are accurate. In this regard, undisturbed top volcanic layers are always found to be younger than lower volcanic layers. Is that just a coincidence?

Another cross-checking feature involves Sea-Floor spreading and Continental Drift. About 240 mya the Super Continent Pangea began to separate into the Continents we see now. Some of the separation-seams have expanded into the oceans of today. The original seams are known as Spreading Centers (SC) and continue to ooze molten Mantle Material along their entire lengths that often becomes new ocean bottom rock. As the new ocean rock is developed, it is carried away from the SC, moving like a conveyor belt, taking the broken piece of continent with it. When you age-date the rocks near the spreading center, they are significantly younger than the ocean-rocks near the continents. 

An example of this is the separation distance between Africa and South America. It is a little over 3,000 miles and is moving at a separation rate of 1.58 inches per year. The radio-metric age difference between the SC and the coastline ocean rocks is about 125 million years. Do the math. This is another proof that the Radiometric dating methods are accurate.

In conclusion, this brief comment offers proof that both C-14 and other Radiometric dating methods do not fit in with the YEC theory regarding the age of the earth.

December 13 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

ainsley chalmers Medical Research Scientist, devoted family man.

A well written article on radiometric dating by Mr Houdman. Further information on carbon-14 (C14) perhaps needs to be made.C14, present in all organic material, is formed when nitrogen naturally present in the atmosphere (N14) is interacted with neutrons generated from cosmic radiation. This atmospheric C14 is then taken up into the food chain (plants)and ends up in the tissues, bones etc of all animals. C14 then decays back to its daughter N14 with a half life of about 5,730 years. After about 50,000 years of decay C14 is difficult to detect.

Dating with C14, like other radioisotopes, also requires ad hoc assumptions. However due to its relatively short half life of thousands not billions of years certain more accurate conclusions may be made about dating.

For example C14 has been detected in fossils, oil and diamonds, specimens reputedly millions to billions of years old. Speculation has been made that these specimens were contaminated with C14 however it is difficult to see how that could occur within diamonds and fossils found in hardened rocks.

In conclusion C14 presence in these ancient specimens would suggest that they are thousands of years old not millions. And this is in accord with Holy Scripture.

January 09 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report