Absolute Dating

There are many different methods of Absolute dating including: chronological markers, dendrochronology, radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence, obsidian-hydration, and potassium-argon dating.

• Potassium-argon dating is not used to date archaeologic sites in the New World because there are no sites old enough. Potassium-argon dates volcanic maerials and is useful for sites dated between 50,000 and 2 billion years ago.
• Thermoluminescence is based on the fact that electrons in mineral emit light, or luminesce, when they are heated. Thermoluminescence is used to date ceramics that are 300 to 100,000 years old.
• Obsidian-hydration dates obsidian tools and flakes resulting from the process of flint-knapping Archaeologists don’t often use obsidian- hydration dating because there are many variables and not enough accuracy.

The three methods scientists would probably use with the evidence in the story of Molly are: chronological markers, dendrochronology, and radiocarbon dating. These methods are described on the following pages. Read the information about each of them and determine how they would apply to the Mystery of Molly.