Radiocarbon

dating
(carbon 14
dating)
 Carbon has unique properties that are
essential for life on earth.
 Familiar to us as:
o the black substance in charred wood,
o as diamonds,
o and the graphite in ‘lead’ pencils,
 Comes in several forms, or isotopes.
 One rare form has atoms that are 14 times
as heavy as hydrogen atoms:
 Carbon-14 is also referred to as:
• C-14
• Carbon-14
• Radiocarbon

 Types of carbon (isotopes)

Atomic mass
9 14 16
6 6 6

Atomic number
 How C-14 is Produced
1. Carbon-14 is made when cosmic rays
knock neutrons out of atomic nuclei
in the upper atmosphere.
2. The displaced neutrons, now moving
fast, hit ordinary nitrogen (14N) at
lower altitudes, converting it into 14C.
How C-14 is Produced
3. Unlike common carbon (C-12),
C-14 is unstable and slowly
decays, changing it back to
nitrogen and releasing energy.
4. This instability makes it
radioactive.
 Cosmic Rays
(radiation)

Forms C-14 C-14 combines with

oxygen to form
Collision with
atmosphere (N14) carbon dioxide (CO2)
 We can take a sample of air, count how
many C-12 atoms there are for every C-
14 atom, and calculate the C-14/C-12
ratio.
 Because C-14 is so well mixed up with
C-12, we expect to find that this ratio is
the same if we sample a leaf from a
tree, or a part of the body.
Carbon-14 Dating
Carbon-14 Dating

 Used onlyon organic material

 Cannot be used to date rocks
 Maximum age limit about 60,000
years