Explain about radioactive dating, Chemistry

Assignment Help:

Q. What do you know about Radioactive Dating?

Ans.

Half-life measurements of radioactive elements in rocks and fossils can be used to determine the age of the specimen. One of the most common types of radioactive isotope dating uses carbon-14.

Carbon-14 is formed naturally in the atmosphere. It decays through β- emission to form nitrogen-14. The half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730 years.

When plants perform photosynthesis they take in carbon dioxide and water to make sugar and oxygen.

2330_Radioactive Dating.gif

Some of the carbon dioxide the plant uses contains the isotope carbon-14.

When the plant dies or is harvested photosynthesis stops. It can no longer absorb any carbon-14. The decay of the isotope inside the dead plant continues a before. We can determine the age of a once-living plant by measuring the remaining radioactivity due to carbon-14.

We used the equation before

414_Radioactive Dating1.gif

Let?s rearrange a little so that this equation makes sense for our radioactive dating problem.

Eventually we want to know t, the elapsed time. This will tell us the age of the dead plant.

2463_Radioactive Dating2.gif

It is useful to note that the portion of the equation 1233_Radioactive Dating3.gifis just the fraction of the Carbon-14 remaining.

Although 5730 seems like a long time, it is actually pretty short in terms of half-lives. For this reason, Carbon-14 dating is most useful for recent dating -- objects 50,000 years or younger. Isotopes with a longer half-life are needed to date items that are older.


Related Discussions:- Explain about radioactive dating

CSA, WHAT DOES DSA STAND FOR

WHAT DOES DSA STAND FOR

How does the magnitude of decide the real configuration, Draw a figure to s...

Draw a figure to show splitting of degenerate d orbitals in an octahedral crystal field. How does the magnitude of decide the real configuration old orbitals in a difficult enti

To find acidic and basic radicals in different chocolates, theory of the ac...

theory of the acidic and basic radicals in different chocolates

Which of the sub-shell is circular, Which of the sub-shell is circular: ...

Which of the sub-shell is circular: (1) 4s                      (2) 4f         (3)  4p                 (4) 4d Ans: 4s

S block elements, lithium and beryllium markedly differ from other members ...

lithium and beryllium markedly differ from other members of their respstive groups

General tests on benzoic acid, General Tests on Benzoic Acid (a) It dis...

General Tests on Benzoic Acid (a) It dissolves in hot water but separates out in the form of white shining flakes on cooling. (b) Benzoic Acid evolves CO 2 with sodium bica

Cordination compounds, i want some 25 exampels of nomenculature of complex...

i want some 25 exampels of nomenculature of complex coordination compounds

List the factors influencing product development, Q. List the factors influ...

Q. List the factors influencing product development? The factors influencing product development are growing urbanization, changes in life style, increasing number of small fam

Antimicrobials - chemistry in action, Antimicrobials: These are the ch...

Antimicrobials: These are the chemical substances employed to cure infections because of micro-organisms. These are as well known as microbes. Any creature that causes disease

WHEAT FLOUR, WHY WE CALCULATE GERM OIL ACIDITY OF WHEAT FLOUR?

WHY WE CALCULATE GERM OIL ACIDITY OF WHEAT FLOUR?

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd