Creation Science

Young Earth Creation Science Argument Index

 

G1231:  K-Ar dating gives inaccurate results for modern volcanic rocks

 

Edited by Greg Neyman

 

Argument: 

Potassium-argon dating of rocks from lava flows known to be modern gave ages millions to billions of years older.

Source:   Morris, Henry M., 1974. Scientific Creationism, Green Forest, AR: Master Books, pp. 146-147.
 

 

Response: 

 

  1. This is a problem because argon may be incorporated with potassium at the time the rock is formed.  Geologists know this, and overcome it by careful selection of the rock material to be dated, or by using the 40Ar/39Ar dating method instead

  2. Henry Morris (the young earth author making the claim) misstated (misled for his own benefit?) the facts concerning the bad dates.  For instance, it was not the lava that was dated, but inclusive olivine.  Also, Morris cited other examples of bad dates and falsely claimed that it was a universal problem for K-Ar dating, when in fact, the majority of rocks and minerals dated by K-Ar do not contain excess argon.  This is like ordering french fries at McDonalds, and getting cold fries several times, and then claiming that all McDonalds french fries are served cold.  It would be ignoring all the hundreds of times you ordered before and got hot fries.

  3. Geologists no longer use the K-Ar dating methods that were in place in 1974, when Morris wrote the book (however, the book can still be found for sale, with the same claims from 1974).

 

For more Reading:

Talk Origins source article

 

 

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Young Earth Creation Science Argument Index

 

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