radioactive isotope carbon dating / Explainer: Radioactive dating helps solve mysteries

radioactive isotope carbon dating

radioactive isotope carbon dating

The acetylene gas is then analyzed in a mass spectrometer to determine its carbon isotopic composition. How does the ratio of carbon to carbon determine age? By Trisha Muro January 10, at am. The basic logic behind radiometric dating is that if you compare the presence of a radioactive isotope within a sample to its known abundance on Earth, and its known half-life its rate of decay , you can calculate the age of the sample. This method can date naturally occurring minerals and man-made glasses. With the AMS technique, less than 1 mg of sample material may be enough, thus very small samples can be analyzed. Since the discovery of carbon dating, it has revolutionized our understanding of our planet.

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RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPE CARBON DATING / janiceclark.net