--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When rocks are liquid or nearly liquid…" description: "\"“When rocks are liquid or nearly liquid, what geologists call plastic, they contain a certain amount of rubidium and a certain amount of strontium. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/bill-nye-1613_long-ago_when-rocks-are-liquid-or-nearly-liquid-w_784864.png" --- # When rocks are liquid or nearly liquid, what geologists… ![“When rocks are liquid or nearly liquid, what geologists call plastic, they contain a certain amount of rubidium and a certain amount of strontium. The mixture is measurable by diligent radiochemists. When that molten rock spews out of a volcano, say, it solidifies. By looking at the ratios of…” quote by Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/bill-nye-1613_long-ago_when-rocks-are-liquid-or-nearly-liquid-w_784864.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/bill-nye-1613_long-ago_when-rocks-are-liquid-or-nearly-liquid-w_784864.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/bill-nye-1613_long-ago_when-rocks-are-liquid-or-nearly-liquid-w_784864.png) > ““When rocks are liquid or nearly liquid, what geologists call plastic, they contain a certain amount of rubidium and a certain amount of strontium. The mixture is measurable by diligent radiochemists. When that molten rock spews out of a volcano, say, it solidifies. By looking at the ratios of certain elements frozen in with rubidium and strontium, radiochemists and geochemists can determine how long ago the melt, as it’s called, turned solid. In the case of rubidium and strontium, we can count on precisely half of the rubidium-87 to transmute to strontium-87 (now with 49 protons) in 48.8 billion years.”” [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Radiometric dating uses rubidium‑strontium decay to determine volcanic rock ages. **In simple terms:** Scientists date rocks by element decay. Key Takeaway Use isotope ratios to learn Earth's history. Themes science time geology Mood educational analytical Type scientific informative When to use this quote - volcano study - museum exhibit - academic research - education Key Concepts radiometric dating geochemistry Questions to Reflect On - How reliable are isotope clocks? - What factors could skew dating results? A Different Perspective Decay rates assume closed systems, which can be imperfect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) ## Related quotes > [There's a passage about 'rivers of molten rock that wound their way... until they cooled and lay like twisted dragon-shapes vomited from the tormented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/there-s-a-passage-about-rivers-of-molten-rock-that-wound-their-way/) [Arthur C. 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By looking at the ratios of certain elements frozen in with rubidium and strontium, radiochemists and geochemists can determine how long ago the melt, as it’s called, turned solid. 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