Question

1. Radioactivity is produced when unstable nuclei _____.

bond together
break apart
become cooler
expand
2. Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes _____.
change over time
change from place to place
are constant
vary widely
3. Radiocarbon dating is used to date _____.
recent geologic events up to 75,000 years ago
recent geologic events up to 10,000 years ago
distant geologic events more than one million years ago
all geologic events of the past

Answer 1

1) Radioactivity is produced when unstable nuclei break apart. In radioacitvity an atom of an element loses its identity with the loss of energy and release of sub atomic particles as the binding energy of the parent nucleus is very low and it is unstable and can break easily.

2) Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes are constant. As the rate of decay of nucleus of an element follows first order kinetics with a constant specific rate constant. It decays over a period of time with the same rate irrespective of its source and other conditions.

3) Radiocarbon dating is used to date or know the age of a substance containing carbon or organic material.

Radiocarbon dating is used to date recent geologic events up to 75,000 years ago

Answer 2

1. Radioactivity is produced when an unstable nuclei Break apart. Radioactive decay or radioactivity is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus resulting in the release of energy and matter from the nucleus. A radioisotope has unstable nuclei that does not have enough binding energy to hold the nucleus together. An unstable nucleus cHanges by giving off a neutron to get back to a balanced state and as it changes it gives off radiation and hence said to be radioactive.

2. Radiometric dating is possible because the rates of decay of radioactive isotopes are constant. Radiometric dating is a method for determining the age of an object based on the concentration of a particular radioactive isotope contained within it. For example; inorganic materials such as rocks containing the radioactive isotope; the amount of the isotope in the object is compared to the amount of the isotope's decay products. It is an accurate method of dating as it is based on the radioactive decay of unstable isotopes.

3. Radiocarbon dating is used to date recent geologic events up to 75,000 years ago. Radiocarbon dating is a method that is used for estimating the age of old archaeological samples. For example, age of the aerth, moon, rocks, and minerals deposits can be determined by using the principle of radioisotopic dating.