What radiometric dating technique do paleoanthropologists us

What radiometric dating technique do paleoanthropologists use to determine the age of the volcanic ash associated with the earliest human remains? Describe how this technique works and limitations on it.

Solution

Radiometric dating or Radioactive dating : It is a technique used to date materials such as rock or carbon in which trace radioactive impurities were selectively incorporated when they are formed.

Potassium-Argon dating:

The age of volcanic rocks and ash can be determined by measuring the proportion of argon i.e., in the form argon 40 and radioactive potassium within them. Each volcanic eruption produces a new deposit of ash and rock, fossils and other object that accumulate between these eruption lie between two different layers of volcanic ash and rock.

It is used date volcanic layers above and below fossils and artifacts in east africa.