Why can't the C-14 method be used to confirm the age of a silver goblet from the 1500s?
1 Answer
Because the silver goblet does not contain any carbon. If there is no carbon there is no carbon 14 and the radioactivity method can not be use.
Explanation:
Carbon 14 can only be used to measure the age of a piece of carbon that came form a living organism (you can review this process in the image below).
General process of C-14 dating:
The percentage level of carbon 14 in the atmosphere has been fairly constant in recent history. By measuring the percentage level of Carbon 14 in the dead organism and comparing the percentage level of Carbon 14 in living organisms, using the half life of 5,700 years, the time elapsed since the organism's death can be determined.
Radioactive decay of C-14 over time:
The silver goblet contains no carbon so the carbon 14 method can not be used. Carbon 14 can not be used to measure the age of the most fossils where the original carbon containing material has been replaced by stone.
