How is C14 used for dating?
All plants and animals incorporate carbon into their tissues during their lives for growth and energy. When an organism dies, it stops incorporating carbon (all forms of carbon, including C14) into its structure. The amount of radioactive carbon (C14) that had been in the organism when it was alive begins to decrease at death as it loses nuclear particles through radioactive decay. C14 is only good for dating fossils younger than 60, 000 years old. In effect, the “clock” starts ticking when death occurs.
