which dating can be used to determine the absolute age of organisms that lived thousands of years ago
1 answer
Radioactive carbon dating can be used to determine the absolute age of organisms that lived thousands of years ago. It works by measuring the amount of carbon-14 isotope remaining in a sample of organic material, such as bone or wood, and comparing it to the amount of carbon-14 expected to have been present when the organism was alive. Since carbon-14 decays at a predictable rate, the age of the sample can be determined by calculating how long it has taken for the carbon-14 to decay to its current level. This method can be used to accurately date organic material up to about 50,000 years old.