Skip to main content

Absolute Age

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
Dictionary of Geotourism
  • 47 Accesses

Synonym:Isotopic age.

The absolute age is the actual age of a rock calculated based on the quantity of decayed products of radioactive isotopes in the rock since its formation. Isotopic age dating methods include the uranium-lead dating, potassium-argon and rubidium-strontium dating methods. Significant progress in isotopic age dating has been made in recent years, and the methods have become more sophisticated and popular, particularly in studies of Precambrian metamorphic rocks. However, because of the limits of the sampling techniques, isotopic ages are still approximate. The obtained age is sometimes also called the numerical age.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

(2020). Absolute Age. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics