2007-07-30 07:40:53 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
radioactive carbon dust has been settling on earth for the last 50 - 100 thousand years at a more or less uniform rate. This has been established by testing various strata in geological layers of sediment laid down all over the earth. If you then know the half-life (which we do) of 'radiocarbon' you can make a very good guess about the age of a fossil you dig up by testing the radiocarbon layer it was buried in. It loses accuracy the farther back you go, but there are other, better radiometric analysis techniques for the really old stuff.
2007-07-30 07:52:13 · answer #1 · answered by eggman 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
They degree the quantity of carbon-14 in it, because it has a brilliant a million/2-existence, and might from that artwork out how long that's been around :) that's called 'carbon courting' the carbon-14 decays and that they verify how previous that's by potential of how lots is left
2016-12-11 05:05:31 · answer #2 · answered by carra 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Radioactive elements decay over time. Depending on the extent of decay, the age of a fossil can be determined.
2007-07-30 07:49:46 · answer #3 · answered by Roger 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dating
That should help somewhat.
It isn't a perfect method but it works pretty well.
2007-07-30 07:46:23 · answer #4 · answered by Chris B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋