Early Geologists Tried Calculating the Age of Earth Based on Sedimentation

question 20

Essay

Early geologists tried calculating the age of Earth based on sedimentation rates and deduced ages of 1 million to 2 billion years old. Explain the logic behind using sedimentation rates to calculate the age of Earth, and explain at least two reasons why this method did not work.

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Definitions:

Radiation

The release or conveyance of energy as waves or particles across space or within a material medium.

Archaean Eon

The period of Earth’s history from the formation of the crust approximately 4 billion years ago, until 2.5 billion years ago; life originated during the Archaean.

Oceanic Trenches

Deep, narrow depressions in the ocean floor, formed by the subduction of one tectonic plate under another.

Polar Regions

Areas surrounding the Earth's geographical poles, characterized by extreme cold and seasonal variations in daylight.