Question

carbon dating makes use of the principle of

Answer 1

Carbon dating makes use of the fact that radiocarbon is constantly created in the atmosphere due to the interaction of cosmic rays and atmospheric nitrogen. This radiocarbon combines with the oxygen in the atmosphere and forms radioactive carbon dioxide. This gets incorporated into the plants by the process of photosynthesis and the animals who eat the plants acquire 14C. After the death of an animal or plant there is no exchange of carbon with the environment. So the amount of 14C it contains begins to decrease. By measuring the amount of 14C in a piece of wood or a fragment of bone scientists can calculate when the animal or plant died.