The Age of the Earth: Unraveling the Mystery

What can be concluded about the age of the Earth based on the information provided?

A. The Earth is exactly 4.28 million years old.

B. The Earth is younger than 4.28 billion years.

C. The Earth is older than 4.28 billion years.

The correct answer is C. The Earth is older than 4.28 billion years.

When the Earth first began to form, it was molten and did not have a crust. The crust formed sometime after the Earth as a whole was formed. Therefore, the Earth's oldest known crustal rocks, which are 4.28 billion years old, are not as old as the Earth itself.

Furthermore, the Earth's crust has been continuously recycled through plate tectonics throughout its history. This means that the rocks we have today may not represent the true, original crust of the Earth. The original crust could be much older than the oldest known rocks.

Considering all of this information, scientists have concluded that the Earth is indeed older than 4.28 billion years. The formation and recycling processes of the Earth's crust indicate that our planet has a much longer history than previously thought.