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.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radiocarbon dating can only be used to date materials that are less than 70,000 years old, so it is not useful for geological work where the age of rocks and minerals can be millions or billions of years old. Additionally, not all substances on Earth contain significant amounts of carbon-14, making it even more limited in its applicability.

Why Is Radiocarbon Dating Only Rarely Applied in Geological Work