Carbon Dating and Radioactive Decay

How is an isotope different from the standard form of a chemical element?

• It has a different number of positrons.

• It has a different number of electrons

• It has a different number of neutrons

• It has a different number of protons.

Compared to the amount of carbon atoms on Earth, the amount of radioactive carbon atoms is infinitesimal. In this sentence, what is the best synonym for "infinitesimal?"

• Tiny

• Dangerous

• Equal

• Large

Which of the following best describes the nucleus of an atom of carbon-14?

• Eight protons, six neutrons

• Six protons, eight neutrons

• 10 protons, four neutrons

• Four protons, 10 neutrons

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What is radioactive decay?

• The ability of radioactive elements to decay into different elements over time.

• The effect of exposing radioactive material to the human body.

• The ability of radioactive atoms to destroy other atoms

• The physical wear and tear that ancient artifacts exhibit over long periods of time.

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What is the relationship between carbon-14 and nitrogen?

• Nitrogen and carbon-14 react to form radioactive elements

• Over time, nitrogen becomes carbon-14.

• Over time, carbon-14 becomes nitrogen

• Carbon-14 can be used to date ancient nitrogen.

Let's say you have a sample of 10 milligrams of carbon-14. How many milligrams will you have in 5,700 years?

• 0 mg

• 5 mg

• 10 mg

• 20 mg

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What can you learn about an organism from the amount of carbon-14 in its remains?

• How long ago it died.

• What its diet consisted of.

• Which biological kingdom it belonged to

• Which living animals it's most closely related to.

When an unstable radioactive atom decays, it usually turns into:

• a more stable atom
• a less stable atom
• the exact same atom but with less pure energy
• empty space

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Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes _____.

• change over time
• change from place to place
• are constant
• vary widely

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The time it takes for 50% of the nuclei in a radioactive sample to decay to its stable isotope is called _____.

• the daughter product
• geologic time
• the half-life
• the half-time

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