amino-acid dating: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “amino-acid dating” mean?
A scientific method for determining the age of organic materials by measuring the chemical changes in their amino acids.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A scientific method for determining the age of organic materials by measuring the chemical changes in their amino acids.
A geochronological technique used in archaeology, paleontology, and geology to estimate the elapsed time since the death of an organism, based on the racemization (conversion from L-form to D-form) of amino acids preserved in fossils, shells, bones, or teeth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. The term is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Purely scientific and technical, with no regional connotations.
Frequency
Used with equal but low frequency in both UK and US academic and research contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “amino-acid dating” in a Sentence
[noun] + be + dated + using amino-acid datingScientists + applied amino-acid dating + to [object]Amino-acid dating + revealed + [time period]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amino-acid dating” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The amino-acid dating results were controversial.
- They followed an amino-acid dating protocol.
American English
- The amino-acid dating results were controversial.
- They followed an amino-acid dating protocol.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Common in archaeology, geology, and paleontology journals and textbooks when discussing chronometric methods.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The primary context. Used in detailed methodological descriptions in scientific reports and research papers.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “amino-acid dating”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amino-acid dating”
- Incorrect hyphenation: writing 'amino acid-dating' or 'aminoacid dating'.
- Using it as a verb: 'They amino-acid dated the shell.' (Preferred: 'They dated the shell using amino-acid dating.')
- Confusing it with radiocarbon dating.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically used on organic materials like fossil shells, bones, teeth, and eggshells where proteins are preserved.
It can be effective from a few thousand years up to several hundred thousand years, depending on the material and environmental conditions.
The rate of racemization is highly dependent on temperature, so an accurate thermal history of the sample is crucial for precise dating, which is often difficult to ascertain.
No, they are fundamentally different. Radiocarbon dating measures the decay of radioactive carbon-14, while amino-acid dating measures chemical changes in protein structures. They have different time ranges and applications.
A scientific method for determining the age of organic materials by measuring the chemical changes in their amino acids.
Amino-acid dating is usually technical/scientific in register.
Amino-acid dating: in British English it is pronounced /əˌmiːnəʊ ˌæsɪd ˈdeɪtɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˌminoʊ ˌæsɪd ˈdeɪtɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of AMINO acids as the building blocks of life that slowly change over time like a clock. DATING is figuring out their age. So, AMINO-ACID DATING is reading the 'chemical clock' in old proteins.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHEMICAL CHANGE IS A CLOCK/TIMER.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary principle behind amino-acid dating?