radiocarbon
Ancient artifact dater
Radiocarbon is carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon that decays at a known rate.
Because living organisms absorb carbon-14 from the atmosphere and stop absorbing it when they die, measuring the remaining radiocarbon in organic material allows scientists to determine its age—a technique called radiocarbon dating or carbon dating: Radiocarbon analysis placed the artifact at around 3,000 years old.
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- geochronologyStudy of geological ages
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
- dendrochronologyDating via growth rings
stratigraphy · timeline · prehistoric · ancient · neolithic · paleolithic · quaternary
Element's smallest unit
- neutronUncharged nuclear particle
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- nuclideAtom classified by nucleus
proton · element · radiogenic · transmutation · fractionation
Act of unearthing
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- siteDesignated location
- remainsContinues in place
- fossilsPreserved ancient organism traces
burials · settlements · pottery · tools · bones · charcoal · mummies · textiles
Study of prehistoric climates
- paleobotanyStudy of ancient flora
- paleoecologyStudy of prehistoric ecosystems
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- tree-ringsAnnual wood layers
Measuring radiation to identify substances
- acceleratorSpeed control mechanism
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- contaminationIntroduction of impurities
laboratory · quantification · baseline · geochemistry · cross-checking · pretreatment
half-life
Period for fifty-percent reduction
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- geochronologyStudy of geological ages
- chronologyTemporal ordering of events
dendrochronology · stratigraphy · timeline · prehistoric · ancient · neolithic · paleolithic · quaternary
atom
Element's smallest unit
nuclide · proton · element · radiogenic · transmutation · fractionation
excavation
Act of unearthing
fossils · burials · settlements · pottery · tools · bones · charcoal · mummies · textiles · parchment
paleoclimatology
Study of prehistoric climates
- paleobotanyStudy of ancient flora
- paleoecologyStudy of prehistoric ecosystems
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
spectrometry
Measuring radiation to identify substances
- acceleratorSpeed control mechanism
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
contamination · laboratory · quantification · baseline · geochemistry · cross-checking · pretreatment
- Carbongraphite, diamond, diamonds, graphene, fullerene
- archaeologyexcavation, dig site, archaeologist, dig, archaeological digs
- historical dating termsBC, AD, BCE, CE, dendrochronology
- ancient datingdendrochronology, stratigraphy, radiometric dating, chronology, Bronze Age
- Carbon Datinghalf-life, isotope, decay rate
- isotope methodsradioisotopes, radiotracers, tritium, radiochemistry, radioisotope
- radiocarbon datingDetermining age via isotope decay