Applications of radioactivity Flashcards
1
Q
What is one of the most common uses of radiation and radioactivity in the world?
A
Carbon dating
2
Q
What is Carbon dating?
A
A process used to find the age of fossils by observing the amount of carbon-14 in them
3
Q
What is Carbon-14?
A
A radioisotope of Carbon that decays over time
4
Q
What is the half-life of Carbon-14?
A
5,730 years
5
Q
Why does Carbon dating help?
A
Allows us to judge the age of fossils by measuring the remaining amount of Carbon-14
6
Q
What are the downsides to Carbon dating?
A
Serious ethical considerations to be aware of when digging up remains of living peoples’ descendants.
