Is carbon-14 an appropriate isotope for dating the metamorphic rocks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon? Explain

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: No, it's not. The rocks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon are igneous and metamorphic, and they are also really, really old. Carbon-14's usefulness is limited to living things (which consume carbon-14 every time they photosynthesize or eat) from the relatively recent past (because carbon-14 has such a short half-life, it decays very quickly over geologic time).

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

You might also like to view...

Why has integrated waste management been criticized?

A) overemphasis on recycling B) results of waste reduction averaging less than 10% C) goals that are incompatible with environmental protection D) overregulation of hazardous wastes

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

An area defined by characteristic, long-term weather patterns is called

A) an ecosystem. B) a climatic region. C) a biome. D) an average weather place.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Not all jet streams form at the tropopause

a. True b. False

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

The iron in banded iron formations is found in this form:a

iron sulfides d. iron carbonates b. iron oxides e. none of the above c. iron silicates

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences