The age of the Earth is estimated using various scientific methods, and one of the most widely accepted methods is the radiometric dating of rocks and minerals. Here’s a brief overview of how this works:

Radiometric Dating:

Radiometric dating relies on the decay of radioactive isotopes. Certain elements in rocks and minerals contain radioactive isotopes that decay over time at a known rate.
The most common method used for dating rocks on Earth is the decay of uranium to lead. Uranium-238 decays to lead-206, and uranium-235 decays to lead-207.
By measuring the ratio of parent isotope to daughter isotope in a sample, scientists can calculate how much time has passed since the rock or mineral formed.

Zircon Crystals:

Zircon crystals are often used in radiometric dating because they contain trace amounts of uranium, which undergoes radioactive decay to form lead.
Zircon crystals are resistant to weathering and can be found in a variety of rock types.

Moon Rocks:

Some of the rocks brought back from the Moon during the Apollo missions were used to determine the age of the Moon and, by extension, the age of the Earth. This is because the Earth and Moon are thought to have formed around the same time.

Meteorites:

Certain types of meteorites, particularly chondrites, are believed to be remnants from the early solar system. By dating these meteorites, scientists can infer the age of the solar system, including Earth.
Other Dating Methods:

Other dating methods, such as luminescence dating and electron spin resonance dating, can be used for more recent geological events, but they are generally not as precise as radiometric dating for older rocks.

The currently accepted age of the Earth is approximately 4.54 billion years. This value is based on a combination of radiometric dating of Earth rocks and minerals, dating of Moon rocks, and the ages of certain meteorites. It’s important to note that as technology advances, our understanding of Earth’s age may become more refined, but the general consensus on the age remains within the range mentioned.