Radiocarbon Dating

Radiocarbon dating is a method for determining the age of carbonaceous materials—especially ancient archaeological specimens—that relies on the presence of a naturally occurring isotope called carbon-14. After an organism dies, the amount of carbon-14 in its remains gradually decreases through radioactive beta decay. Measuring the amount of carbon-14 in an organism’s remains thus allows scientists to determine how long it has been dead. How do atomic bombs affect atmospheric carbon-14 levels? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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