HOAE General Science Practice Test

What is the best source for dating the origin of the solar system?

Meteorites Moon rocks Distant galaxies Comets

Correct Answer:

Meteorites

Explanation:

Dating the origin of the solar system relies on materials that formed at the very beginning and have stayed essentially unchanged since then. Meteorites provide the best source because they are primitive pieces from the early solar nebula that haven’t undergone extensive melting or differentiation. By applying radiometric dating to these meteorites, especially their calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions, scientists can measure ages around 4.56 billion years, which marks the time of the solar system’s formation. Moon rocks tell us about the Moon’s history, and distant galaxies aren’t directly tied to our solar system’s birth, while comets can be old but are harder to date precisely and don’t yield as robust a single age for the solar system as meteorites do.

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