Carbon Dating...

How
accurate are scientists
when estimating the age
of the earth?
 Proposed Explanation Of
Evolution
Fossils preserved in rock strata provide scientists
with clues to evolutionary history. This stratigraphic
column is based on paleontological evidence, and
shows the order in which organisms appeared in the
fossil-rich Paleozoic Era. Each layer represents a
particular time frame and shows a representative
organism which flourished during that time. Although
fossils are rarely found in the idealized and localized
fashion shown here, they are often in more or less
chronological order. Generally, the oldest fossils
appear in lower layers, and the most recent fossils at
the top, so that placement may be used as an aid in
dating the specimens.
Radio-Carbon Dating (C-14)

All living organisms absorb radiocarbon, an unstable form of carbon that

has a half-life of about 5,730 years. During its lifetime, an organism
continually replenishes its supply of radiocarbon by breathing and eating.
After the organism dies and becomes a fossil, C-14 continues to decay
without being replaced. To measure the amount of radiocarbon left in a
fossil, scientists burn a small piece to convert it into carbon dioxide gas.
Radiation counters are used to detect the electrons given off by decaying
C-14 as it turns into nitrogen. The amount of C-14 is compared to the
amount of C-12, the stable form of carbon, to determine how much
radiocarbon has decayed and to date the fossil.
 Carbon Molecules
Carbon has three naturally
occurring isotopes: carbon-12
constitutes 98.89 percent of all
carbon atoms and serves as the
standard for the atomic mass
scale; carbon-13 is the only
magnetic isotope, which makes
it very important for structural
studies of compounds
containing carbon. Carbon-14 is
produced by cosmic ray
bombardment of nitrogen. It is
radioactive with a half-life of
5,760 years. The amount of
carbon-14 remaining in
historical artifacts can be used
to estimate their age. – Microsoft
Encarta
 Carbon, used by all living organisms, continuously circulates in the
earth’s ecosystem. In the atmosphere, it exists as colorless, odorless
carbon dioxide gas, which is used by plants in the process of
photosynthesis. Animals acquire the carbon stored in plant tissue when
they eat and exhale carbon dioxide as a by-product of metabolism.
Although some carbon is removed from circulation temporarily as coal,
petroleum, fossil fuels, gas, and limestone deposits, respiration and
photosynthesis balance to keep the amount of atmospheric carbon
relatively stable. Industrialization, however, has contributed additional
carbon dioxide to the environment.
- Microsoft Encarta
 The Half-Life Problem
► Here's an example of how half-life works:
Let's say you have 80 ants, and these ants
have a half-life of ten days. In ten days, then,
40 of your ants would still be alive. Ten days
after that, 20 ants would still be alive. Ten
more days, and ten would be alive. You get
the picture.
If you took just one of these ants, though,
there would be no way to predict when it
would die. It might die right away or it might
live for a long time. It's only when you have a
lot of them that this half-life thing works.
In real life, you can't use the half-life method
to determine ant death rates. You can,
however, use the method to determine when
radioactive atoms will decay into some other
form.
► Half-lives vary greatly from one radioactive
atom to another. The reason is that a highly
unstable atom wants to change quickly,
whereas a slightly unstable atom is only
slightly uncomfortable with its condition. The
half-life of highly unstable radon-222 is less
than four days. The half-life of the slightly
unstable uranium-238 is 4.5 billion years.
Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years.
Other Problems
The Magnetic Problem
 Fossil Dating

Levels of C-14 in fossils

are so low that dating
them is virtually
impossible. Why are C-
14 levels so low?
Carbon Dating….impossible?