Potential Problems: actually dating mineral, not rock; must have a closed system - heat from metamorphism can allow elements to escape

Carbon 14 dating: <70,000 years old, half-life=5730 years, C¹⁴/C¹² ratio stays relatively constant in the atmosphere and living organisms, when organisms die the C¹⁴ converts to Nitrogen; declining ratio of C¹⁴ to C¹² yields the age of the specimen

Tree-ring dating

What is the difference between relative dating and absolute dating? How can relative age be determined? How can absolute age be determined?