7D10.23 - Radioactive Dating - Carbon Dating

Code Number:
7D10.23
Demo Title:
Radioactive Dating - Carbon Dating
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
Radioactive Decay
Area of Study:
Modern Physics
Equipment:
Co-60 sources with different manufacturing dates, Counter / Scaler.
Procedure:

Cobalt-60 has a well known half life.  By taking the counts from a new source and then an older source, you should be able to know exactly how much older the old source is. 

References:
  • Todd Brown, "A Simple Example of Radioactive Dating", TPT, Vol. 52, # 2, Feb. 2014, p. 115.
  • Christine Middleton, "Trapped-atom Analysis Pushes Calcium-41 onto the Radiometric Dating Scene", Physics Today, Vol. 76, #5, May 2023, p. 17.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.