Compute the radius of a geostationary orbit around the Earth in units of kilometers. Supposing that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and you have a sample composed entirely of these two elemental isotopes. So an age of 4.5 billion years corresponds to 3.6 half lives. The relative amount of Potassium 40 diminishes as , where n is the number of half lives. In a single paragraph, briefly describe how scientists can study the Earth's interior with seismology.
Earthquakes generate waves that travel through the Earth's interior.
So when an earthquake occurs, one can measure at different points on the Earth the time of arrival, type of wave, and strength. In this way, one can map the mantle and core structure. Although no volcanic eruptions have been observed on Venus, this planet has numerous extinct volcanos and a young surface. It is though that volcanos lay about 2 km of new rock on the surface every year. That is an impact rate of about 10,000 every 230 million years, or on average about 1 impact every 23,000 years.