By establishing geological timescales, radiometric dating provides a significant source of information about the ages of fossils and rates of evolutionary change, and it is also used to date archaeological materials, including ancient artifacts.

Why is radiometric dating useful?

To determine the ages in years of Earth materials and the timing of geologic events such as exhumation and subduction, geologists utilize the process of radiometric decay. Geologists use these dates to further define the boundaries of the geologic periods shown on the geologic time scale.

What is the difference between radiometric and relative dating?

The main difference between relative dating and radiometric dating is that relative dating is the method used to determine the age of rock layers according to their relative depth whereas radiometric dating is the method used to determine the absolute age with the use of decaying products of the natural radioactive