HOW DOES RADIOCARBON DATING TELL US THE AGE OF BONES AND ARTIFACTS?
For every trillion atoms of carbon in our atmosphere, there is one atom of radioactive Carbon 14. Plants absorb the Carbon 14 from the air, and animals absorb it by eating the plants and other animals. Once the Carbon 14 is absorbed, it begins to disintegrate, but is constantly replenished from the atmosphere or from food. The Carbon 14 in a plant or animal gives off about 15 disintegration rays a minute–or about 900 an hour. The rays can be detected by a Geiger counter. When a plant or an animal dies, it stops absorbing new radioactive Carbon 14 and the carbon it has absorbed begins losing its radioactivity at a known rate. It has a “half-life” of 5,730 years, Meaning that after 5,730 years it has only half its original radioactivity, so it gives off only 7.50 disintegration rays a minute. After another 5,730 years one-fourth remains and it gives off only 3.75 rays a minute. After another 5730 years only one eighth of its radioactivity remains. This “half-life” loss continues until r
