Con All radioactive dating except Carbon 14 are based on atoms found in igneous rocks. Fossils are almost never found in igneous rocks. So radioactive dating can not be used to directly date fossils.

What are the disadvantages of radiometric dating?

Limitations of Radiometric DatingThe material being dated must have measurable amounts of the parent and/or the daughter isotopes. Radiometric dating is not very useful for determining the age of sedimentary rocks.24 Feb 2012

What are two drawbacks of carbon 14 dating?

There are a number of limitations, however.First, the size of the archaeological sample is important. Second, great care must be taken in collecting and packing samples to avoid contamination by more recent carbon. Third, because the decay rate is logarithmic, radiocarbon dating has significant upper and lower limits.More items •3 Jan 2003

Is half-life radioactive decay?

Half-life, in radioactivity, the interval of time required for one-half of the atomic nuclei of a radioactive sample to decay (change spontaneously into other nuclear species by emitting particles and energy), or, equivalently, the time interval required for the number of disintegrations per second of a radioactive