Carbon-14 dating is a widely used technique in archaeology. Which of the following principles form t — Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity Chemistry Question
Question
Carbon-14 dating is a widely used technique in archaeology. Which of the following principles form the basis of this method?
💡 Solution & Explanation
Options A, C, and D accurately describe the Carbon-14 dating technique. Cosmic neutrons strike Nitrogen-14 to create Carbon-14. This carbon is absorbed by plants and animals during their lifetime, keeping the isotopic ratio constant until death, after which the $^{14}C$ concentration declines via first-order decay. Option B is incorrect because $^{14}C$ undergoes $\beta^-$ decay to form $^{14}N$ ($^{14}_{6}C \rightarrow {}^{14}_{7}N + {}^{0}_{-1}e$), not positron emission.