The Earth is probably greater than 10,000 years old

== Case ==The scientific consensus is clear that the Earth is > 10,000 years. With my case, I shall defend various dating methods to conclude that the Earth's age is likely more than 10,000 years. (1) Uranium-lead datingThe first form of dating I shall defend is a form of radiometric dating called uranium-lead dating, usually used in dating zircon rock, by measuring the decay of uranium through to lead. It can be used on both major isotopes of uranium -- U-235 and U-238. They decay two isotopes of lead, Pb-206 and Pb-207 respectively. Radiogenic uranium and radiogenic lead have a direct relationship. Uranium-lead dating has computed ages of substances on the Earth that are greater than 10,000 years. It has, for instance, dated rocks at 3.8 billion years. [1] It has also computed *reliable* ages for zircon rock ranging anywhere between 1 million and 4.5 billion years. [2] Additionally, in a source of debate between geologists and creationists, uranium-lead dating computed an age of zircon crystals as being 1.5 million years old. [3] Therefore, if uranium-lead dating has sound assumptions and can soundly calculate dates with an accuracy rate of +/- .1% [2], then the Earth is probably greater than 10,000 years old. Uranium-lead dating computes ages with a simple formula: "Nnow" represents the number of uranium atoms currently present in the sample of zircon rock or zircon crystals. "Norig" refers to the number of uranium atoms originally in the sample, which is equal to the sum of lead and uranium atoms in the sample, since lead atoms displace some uranium atoms in the sample. "λ" represents the decay rate of uranium. The age of the zircon crystals, which has to be determined by the dating, is "t". [4] "Nnow" can be measured by modern methods such as mass spectrometry. Norig is directly obtained from Nnow, since Norig is the same as the sum of uranium atoms and lead atoms in the sample, or the originally measured number of uranium atoms in the sample, both of which can be easily obtained. [5] Radioactive decay generally occurs when nuclear force is overcome by means of quantum tunnelling. As protons and neutrons are in close proximity with the nucleus, external factors rarely change or influence radioactive decay rates. Therefore, temperature changes, pressure, chemical bonding, and similar factors do not affect radioactive decay rates. Only *very few* studies have managed to affect radioactive decay rates. [6] Therefore, with no external influence, there is nothing to impact our findings of units for λ. Zircon crystals are ideal for uranium-lead dating. Zircon naturally excludes trace lead in its crystallization process. Prof. Bill Composton writes, "First of all, uranium atoms fit easily into the zircon site in the crystal lattice. They have the same ionic radius as the zirconium, so when the zircon is crystallising, any atoms of uranium that are in the melt will slide into the growing mineral. In contrast, lead doesn't fit well. It has a different ionic radius and a different charge balance. So the mineral zircon strongly excludes lead." [7] Samuel Bowring, et al. write, "It is now quite clear that most zircons quantitatively exclude Pb when they crystallize from magma and that all the Pb contained in the zircon crystal lattice is from the decay of U." [8] With all assumptions justified, uranium-lead dating affirms an age of the Earth > 10,000 years. (2) Carbon datingCarbon dating is used to accurately date objects that are less than 50,000 years old. [9] Carbon dating has dated bones and trees greater than 10,000 years. [9-10] Therefore, if I affirm that carbon dating is accurate, I affirm that the Earth is greater than 10,000 years old. The accuracy of carbon dating is confirmed by "dendrochronology," which dates the age of trees using the sizes and shapes of tree rings. Rings from different trees can be matched together and used to date forests. [11] Using carbon dating and gaining the same dates as dendochronology confirms that carbon dating is accurate. [11]Therefore, carbon dating also affirms an age of the Earth > 10,000 years. Thus, I affirm. == Sources ==[1] http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov...[2] Parrish, Randall R.; Noble, Stephen R., 2003. Zircon U-Th-Pb Geochronology by Isotope Dilution [3] http://www.oldearth.org...[4] http://en.wikipedia.org...[5] http://tinyurl.com...[6] http://tinyurl.com...[7] http://tinyurl.com...[8] http://tinyurl.com...[9] http://tinyurl.com...[10] http://tinyurl.com...[11] http://tinyurl.com...