method of age determination that depends on the decay of nitrogen and radiocarbon (carbon 14). nature by the interaction neutrons with nitrogen 14 in the Earths atmosphere; the neutrons required for this reaction are produced by cosmic rays interacting with the atmosphere. You just studied 10 terms!

Why is carbon-14 used with fossils quizlet?

Because it breaks down quickly, carbon-14 is useful for dating creatures that died in the past few thousand years, not millions of years ago. The difference between the two is the radiocarbon decay rate.

Is carbon-14 useful for establishing earths age quizlet?

A Carbon-14 is not useful for establishing the age of Earth because its half-life is quite long in comparison to Earths age.

Why does the amount of carbon-14 go down?

The ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-14 is the same in all living things. However, at the moment of death, the amount of carbon-14 begins to decrease because it is unstable, while the amount of carbon-12 remains constant in the sample. Half of the carbon-14 degrades every 5,730 years as indicated by its half-life.

What is important about amounts of carbon-14 in living samples quizlet?

What is important about amounts of carbon-14 in living samples? It can indicate sunspot activity.