Hypothetically speaking, let's say in the year 2099 someone travels back in time to ancient Egypt around 2500 B.C. and accidentally leaves behind a unique item that was created in the year 2099. Years later, in 2010, archaeologists discover the item at some ancient ruins site and perform carbon dating on the odd object. What would the carbon dating tell the researchers about the item?
2007-07-08 04:39:42 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
You are stating a situation that deals with more than the carbon dating phenomenon regarding the break down of carbon-14
Hypothetically, the carbon would breakdown at a consistent rate of 14gpm and would represent the amount of time that the item had been present. The explorer would need to know the origination of the object to properly define the age based on carbon date. In this hypothesis, we have to assume that time is manipulative. We can therefore assume that carbon dating disintegration would flex with the time as well. In this scenario the carbon disintegration rate would adjust with the time shift. The explorer would then find carbon date analysis to equal the date the item was left from the future traveler.
2007-07-08 04:52:11 · answer #1 · answered by Target 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Very interesting question. I'd say that if the item was from the future it would be quite easy to tell as it would probably having flashing lights and whistles and bells etc. and probably completely out of suite with everything from the immediate surroundings.
Carbon dating rules. There should be more carbon dating in this world!
2007-07-08 04:45:50 · answer #2 · answered by buzzingkidder 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
OK so carbon dating works by measuring the amount of carbon that has decayed over time. The half like of C14 is about 5730 years.
The object would show carbon decay reflecting the last 4599 years it was hanging around on Earth, that is if it had any carbon 14 in it to begin with.
This is me strictly speaking from how carbon decay works. Your question cannot receive a correct answer because it is faulty.
2007-07-08 04:47:08 · answer #3 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
If any time traveller from any future year whatever took a new object back to 2500 BC and left it, then in 2010 it would look as if it was 4510 years old. It doesn't matter which year it actually (!) started from.
2007-07-08 09:15:05 · answer #4 · answered by bh8153 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋