(November 26, 2013 at 5:37 am)Aractus Wrote:(November 25, 2013 at 4:48 am)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: What I meant was that radiocarbon dating isn't among the dating tools scientists use to even 'estimate' the age of this planet.No of course not, but it's the same principle that is applied - that of radioactive decay.
I'm looking forward to finding out where you're going with this
(November 26, 2013 at 5:37 am)Aractus Wrote:(November 25, 2013 at 5:40 am)Optimistic Mysanthrope Wrote: Correct. Carbon dating is only used to date carbon.As all life is carbon-based, one would presume that carbon dating would work on all biogenic materials. Yet of course it does not, and the half-life of radiocarbon is 5,730 years (+/- 40), which means it can be used to date hundreds or thousands of years old, but not millions of years old.
Correct again. Do you have a example that is millions of years old that you wish to be dated?
Quote:The limit is about 50,000 years or so, but that again would depend on the material being rich enough in carbon to begin with, other materials which can be reliably dated with radiocarbon dating may have much shorter upper age limits.
It also depends on the primary source of carbon.
