How Accurate is Radiocarbon Dating for Determining the Age of a Mummy?

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In summary, radio carbon dating, also known as carbon-14 dating, works by measuring the amount of carbon-14 in a sample and comparing it to the amount of carbon-12. This method can provide accurate results for samples less than 50,000 years old, with a margin of error of 100-200 years. It can only be used on organic materials, as inorganic materials do not contain carbon-14. However, radio carbon dating can only provide an estimate of the sample's age and cannot determine the exact age due to variations in the amount of carbon-14 in the environment and the effects of fossilization. It can also be used to study past climate change by analyzing the age of organic materials found in sediment cores
  • #1
Ukitake Jyuushirou
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the question

a mummy contain 9.2 g of carbon and it has an activity of 1.6 Bq. how old is the specimen in years?



i worked out the question and got an answer of 2300 yrs, the closest answer in the book is 2200yrs. is my answer of 2300 yrs correct?
 
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  • #2
This stuff is new to me but I looked around and the formula seems to be 8033 * ln(A_0/A). Taking A_0 as 0.226 Bq/g * 9.2 g I get 2100 years. Take from this what you will.
 
  • #3
The answer will depend on what fraction of the carbon is C-14 one uses.
 

1. How does radio carbon dating work?

Radio carbon dating, also known as carbon-14 dating, works by measuring the amount of carbon-14 in a sample. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope that decays over time, and this decay can be used to determine the age of organic materials. By comparing the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12, scientists can calculate the age of the sample.

2. How accurate is radio carbon dating?

The accuracy of radio carbon dating depends on the age of the sample. For samples that are less than 50,000 years old, the margin of error is usually within 100-200 years. However, for older samples, the margin of error can be larger due to the smaller amount of carbon-14 remaining in the sample.

3. Can radio carbon dating be used on all types of materials?

No, radio carbon dating can only be used on organic materials. This is because organisms absorb carbon-14 from the environment while they are alive, but they stop absorbing it once they die. Inorganic materials, such as rocks and minerals, do not contain carbon-14 and therefore cannot be dated using this method.

4. Can radio carbon dating be used to determine the exact age of a sample?

No, radio carbon dating can only provide an estimate of the sample's age. This is because the amount of carbon-14 in the environment can vary, which can affect the accuracy of the results. Additionally, the process of fossilization can also alter the amount of carbon-14 in a sample, making it difficult to determine the exact age.

5. How can radio carbon dating be used to study past climate change?

Radio carbon dating can be used to date organic materials found in sediment cores from bodies of water. By analyzing the age of these materials, scientists can determine when certain events, such as floods or droughts, occurred in the past. This can provide valuable information about past climate conditions and how they may have changed over time.

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