A paleontologist discovers a fossilized tree trunk in a sedimentary rock layer. They estimate the tree trunk is less than 50,000 years old. Which dating method would be the most appropriate for determining its age?

Radiocarbon dating is suitable for once-living material that is less than about 50,000 years old. Because the tree trunk is estimated to be within that range, radiocarbon dating can estimate when it stopped exchanging carbon with the environment. Uranium-lead dating is generally used for much older rocks and minerals, while dendrochronology requires matching tree-ring patterns.

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