Which statement about methods of determining Earth's age is false?
A)James Ussher derived an age of approximately 6,000 years based on Biblical genealogy.
B)John Joly calculated an age of 90 million years based on how long it would take the oceans to become salty.
C)Lord Kelvin determined an age of 75,000 years by assuming Earth had cooled from a molten state.
D)Early scientists tried to calculate ages based on sedimentation rates.
E)James Hutton calculated the age of Earth by measuring the rate of igneous rock formation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

James Hutton did not determine the age of Earth by measuring the rate of igneous rock formation, but rather proposed the concept of uniformitarianism which suggests that Earth's geological processes have been operating at a constant rate over a long period of time. This idea allowed for the possibility of an ancient Earth, but Hutton did not provide a specific age estimate.

Which Statement About Methods of Determining Earth's Age Is False