0
Yes because they look at the ammount of radioactive decay and they can determine the age of the granite. As the radioactive isotope decreases the non radioactive element increases. The less radioactive decay ammount there is the older it is.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe isotope carbon-14 is used only for the determination of organic materials age.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What isotope serves as the current standard for the atomic mass scale?
with C14 atom
What is C14 in chemistry?
It's a very rare isotope of Carbon that contains 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
What is it called when the atoms only differ in the number of protons?
It is called an Isotope.... C12, C13, C14 is a classical example
What number is written after the isotope when writing the name?
The atomic mass number of that isotope. So C14 has a molecular mass of 14 grams/mole U238, 238 grams/mole
List a range of items that can be dated by isotope carbon 14?
It is not that simple. Carbon 14 (C14) is created in the upper atmosphere by the action of cosmic rays on Nitrogen atoms. There is not much of it, C14 occurs in trace amounts, only making up as much as 1 part per trillion (0.0000000001%) of the carbon on the Earth. This amount of C14 is in balance, the amount created in the upper atmosphere balances the amount lost by the natural radioactive decay of the isotope. All living things on earth, are made of chemicals that include carbon and, while living, the amount of C14 in them is in balance with the amount of C14 in the atmosphere. However when a living thing dies it no longer mixes the carbon in its body with that of the atmosphere and thus the amount of C14 it contains begins to reduce to levels below that found in the atmosphere because the C14 decays radioactively. Thus items to be dated using C14 must contain carbon (wood, charcoal, hair and bones are good) and must have remained undisturbed since the organisms death. Also C14 decays rather quickly and is therefore only good for dating items that are less than about 60,000 years old.
What isotope serves as the current standard for the atomic mass scale?
with C14 atom
What is C14 in chemistry?
It's a very rare isotope of Carbon that contains 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
How are the isotope carbon-12 and carbon-14 different from ech other?
The number of neutrons (and the fact that C14 is radioactive).
What is it called when the atoms only differ in the number of protons?
It is called an Isotope.... C12, C13, C14 is a classical example
What number is written after the isotope when writing the name?
The atomic mass number of that isotope. So C14 has a molecular mass of 14 grams/mole U238, 238 grams/mole
What is the c-14 c-12 ratio used to date once living organisms?
It is because living organisms absorb C14 from their environment. After death, they are no longer capable of absorbing any more C14. So, at the time of death, the C14 : C12 ratio is fixed. C14 undergoes radioactive decay (into C12) so the C14 : C12 ratio declines and that can be used as a measure of the time since death.
An atom of an element is electrically neutral becaue the?
carbon exists as 3 naturally isotopes c12 c13 c14 as he number of neutrons increase in the isotope the nuclear charge
What is the symbol for the radioactive isotope known as Carbon 14?
It's usually posted as 14C and indicates the isotope asked about.
List a range of items that can be dated by isotope carbon 14?
It is not that simple. Carbon 14 (C14) is created in the upper atmosphere by the action of cosmic rays on Nitrogen atoms. There is not much of it, C14 occurs in trace amounts, only making up as much as 1 part per trillion (0.0000000001%) of the carbon on the Earth. This amount of C14 is in balance, the amount created in the upper atmosphere balances the amount lost by the natural radioactive decay of the isotope. All living things on earth, are made of chemicals that include carbon and, while living, the amount of C14 in them is in balance with the amount of C14 in the atmosphere. However when a living thing dies it no longer mixes the carbon in its body with that of the atmosphere and thus the amount of C14 it contains begins to reduce to levels below that found in the atmosphere because the C14 decays radioactively. Thus items to be dated using C14 must contain carbon (wood, charcoal, hair and bones are good) and must have remained undisturbed since the organisms death. Also C14 decays rather quickly and is therefore only good for dating items that are less than about 60,000 years old.
Why cant we use carbon-14 to date the rocks?
Carbon 14 is absorbed by living organisms. When they die, they stop absorbing carbon 14 and the isotope then decays. Form the time of death of the organism, the quantity of C14, as a proportion of the total carbon in the organism declines and, measuring that decrease allows the age (or time of death) of the organism to be determined.
Why cant we use carbon 14 to date the rocks?
Carbon 14 is absorbed by living organisms. When they die, they stop absorbing carbon 14 and the isotope then decays. Form the time of death of the organism, the quantity of C14, as a proportion of the total carbon in the organism declines and, measuring that decrease allows the age (or time of death) of the organism to be determined.
How many neutrons does carbon-17 have?
11 Carbon has atomic(proton) number 6. i.e it has 6 protons. There are three naturally occurring isotopes for carbon. They are C12 c13 and c14. among them c14 is radioactive. c12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons. c13 has 6 protons and 7 neutrons. c14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Similarly, c17 has 6 protons and 11 neutrons.
