Background: Radiocarbon dating of materials is a radiometric dating technique that uses the decay of carbon-14 (14C) to estimate the age of organic materials, such as paper and parchment.

What is c14 used for?

The isotope also is used as a tracer in following the course of particular carbon atoms through chemical or biological transformations. In carbon-14 dating, measurements of the amount of carbon-14 present in an archaeological specimen, such as a tree, are used to estimate the specimens age.

What is the instrument used to determine decaying organic materials?

Radiometric Age Dating. Thermal ionization mass spectrometer used in radiometric dating. To determine the ages in years of Earth materials and the timing of geologic events such as exhumation and subduction, geologists utilize the process of radiometric decay.

Which radioisotope is used to determine the age of non organic materials?

Carbon-14 is a weakly radioactive isotope of Carbon; also known as radiocarbon, it is an isotopic chronometer. C-14 dating is only applicable to organic and some inorganic materials (not applicable to metals).