Why is radiocarbon dating only rarely applied in geological work?
A)No substances on Earth contain significant amounts of carbon-14.
B)The half-life of carbon-14 is so long that it is effectively a stable isotope.
C)The half-life of carbon-14 is so short that it can only be used to date materials that are less than 70,000 years old.
D)Carbon-14 is destroyed by the heat of magma.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radiocarbon dating is based on the decay of carbon-14, which has a half-life of about 5,700 years. This means that after 70,000 years, there is only a tiny fraction of carbon-14 left in a sample, making it difficult to accurately measure its abundance. Therefore, radiocarbon dating can only be used to date materials that are less than 70,000 years old. This limitation makes it rarely applicable in geological work, where rocks and minerals can be millions or billions of years old.

Why Is Radiocarbon Dating Only Rarely Applied in Geological Work