In the 1800s Lord Kelvin estimated the age of 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)that Earth was once hotter than it presently is today
B)that Earth may have been molten when first formed
C)that no new heat has been added to Earth since its initial formation
D)that 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 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 Earth,utilizing