Hey guys,
going through the study design right now, and I've realised that it doesn't mention what specific types of isotopes we need to know and what eras we need to know. Anybody know the specifics on what we need to know?
Hey!
How much you'll need to know for SACs will vary depending on your school - there are schools that include information that isn't required for the exam, so this is just what you'll need for the exam, best to check with your teacher if you're not sure what's required for the SAC.
You don't need to know the names of any eras or periods, just that geological time is divided into those sections. You need to know that carbon 14 has a short half life ~5500 years. You should be familiar with Potassium-Argon dating and Uranium-Lead dating, but don't expect to have to know how long their half lives are or anything like that.
This thread has a link to a VCAA document with further information they've provided to help clarify what you need to know, and
this thread has a list of what you do and don't need to know, compiled from various sources.