Abstract
THE suggestion has been advanced by Goldschmidt1 that the radioactive decay of rubidium into strontium might be utilized as means of determining the age of minerals. Hahn and Walling2 have discussed the problem and assess the half-life period of rubidium as 2.3 × 1011 years. The rubidium isotope of mass number 87, 27 percent of which is present in ordinary rubidium, is radioactive, the generation of strontium involving the loss of only a -particle, that is, Rb(87) Sr(87) +.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Goldschmidt, V. M., Skr. Norske. Vid.-Akad. Math.-Nat. Kl., No. 4, 140 (1937).
Hahn, O., and Walling, E., Zeit. Anorg. u. Allgem. Chem., 236, 78 (1938).
Ahrens, L. H., Nature, 155, 610 (1945).
Mattauch, J., Naturwiss., 25, 189 (1937); 25, 738 (1937).
Goldschmidt, V. M., Bauer, H., and Witte, H., Nachr. d. Ges. d. Wiss. Göttingen Math.-Phys. Kl., 1, No. 4, 39 (1934).
Ahrens, L. H., in the press.
Filippov, A., and TolmaÄev, J., C.R. Acad. Sci U.R.S.S., 1, No. 5 323 (1935).
Ahrens, L. H., Amer. Min., in the press.
Holmes, Arthur, "The Age of the Earth", 195 (Thomas Nelson and Sons., Ltd., 1937).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
AHRENS, L. Determination of the Age of Minerals by means of the Radioactivity of Rubidium. Nature 157, 269 (1946). https://doi.org/10.1038/157269a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/157269a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.