Radiocarbon dating is a technique used to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the decay of carbon-14 isotopes. It is widely employed in fields like archaeology and geology to date ancient artifacts and fossils.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Radiocarbon dating is based on the radioactive decay of carbon-14 ($^{14}C$).
Carbon-14 has a half-life of approximately 5,730 years.
Living organisms constantly exchange carbon with their environment, maintaining an equilibrium level of $^{14}C$. After death, this exchange stops, and $^{14}C$ begins to decay.
The ratio of $^{14}C$ to $^{12}C$ is measured to estimate the time since death of the organism.
Radiocarbon dating is effective for samples up to about 50,000 years old.
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Related terms
Half-Life: The time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.
$\beta$ Decay: A type of radioactive decay where a beta particle (electron or positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus.
$^{12}$C/$^{13}$C Ratio: The ratio of stable isotopes carbon-12 to carbon-13; often used as a reference in radiocarbon dating.