Chapter 12.

Dating with Radioactivity

Radioactivity
Isotopes
Forces binding protons and neutrons together are unstable, they break apart (decay) radioactivity
Unstable/radioactive isotope = parent Isotopes that result from the decay of parent = daughter products

Continue to break apart until a stable isotope is formed

Radioactivity
half life
Used to express the rate of radioactive decay Amount of time necessary for one half of the nuclei in a sample to decay to its stable isotope
half life = 1 million years parent/daughter ratio= 1:16 = 4 half lifes = 4 million years old

Radiometric Dating
Calculating the age of rocks and minerals that contain radioactive isotopes Radioactive isotopes decay at a constant rate since the formation of the rock
Ex. As uranium decays, measurable amounts of lead accumulate

Radiometric Dating
An accurate radiometric date can be obtained only if the mineral remained in a closed system during the entire period since its formation

Dating with Carbon 14

Used to date recent events and objects Produced in the upper atmosphere All organisms contain small amounts of carbon 14

Radiocarbon Dating
Carbon 14 (unstable) Radioactive isotope of carbon When organisms die, carbon 14 decreases as it decays Stable = carbon 12 half life = 5,730 years Limited to dating organic material <75,000 years old

C12 & C14 Ratio

If 100.0 g of carbon-14 decays until only 25.0g of carbon is left after 11,460 years, what is the half life of carbon-14?

List the given and unknown values Given initial mass = 100.0 g final mass = 25.0g total time of decay = 11,460 years Unknown number of half lives = ? Half-life = ? Calculate the number of half lives Fraction of sample remaining = 25/100 = X = (2 half lives have passed) Solve for the half life Number of years/2 half lives 11,460/2 Half life of carbon 14 = 5730 years