Question

Place the steps for calibrating radiocarbon dates in the correct order:

A) Step 1: Convert radiocarbon years to calendar years.
B) Step 2: Collect a sample for radiocarbon dating.
C) Step 3: Measure the radiocarbon content of the sample.
D) Step 4: Determine the calibration curve for the specific region and time period.
E) Step 5: Apply calibration using statistical methods.

Answer 1

To calibrate radiocarbon dates, one must first collect a sample, measure its radiocarbon content, determine the region-specific calibration curve, convert radiocarbon years to calendar years, and finally apply the calibration using statistical methods.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calibration of Radiocarbon Dates

The correct order for calibrating radiocarbon dates is as follows:

1. Collect a sample for radiocarbon dating.
2. Measure the radiocarbon content of the sample.
3. Determine the calibration curve for the specific region and time period.
4. Convert radiocarbon years to calendar years.
5. Apply calibration using statistical methods.

Radiocarbon dating, or carbon-14 dating, is a method used to determine the absolute age of organic materials. It measures the amount of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 remaining in a sample and uses a known half-life of 5,730 years to estimate the age.