In the 1800s Lord Kelvin estimated the age of the Earth,utilizing a number of assumptions.Which wrong assumption was the primary reason why his estimate (approximately 20 million years)was so wildly inaccurate?
A) The Earth was once hotter than it presently is today.
B) The Earth may have been molten when first formed.
C) No new heat has been added to the Earth since its initial formation.
D) The Earth would lose heat over time through radiation into outer space.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Lord Kelvin's estimate was inaccurate primarily because he assumed no new heat was being added to the Earth, not accounting for the heat produced by radioactive decay, which was unknown at the time.

In the 1800s Lord Kelvin Estimated the Age of the Earth,utilizing