which isotope can be used as a tracer to study the age of organic material ?
1 C-12
2 C-14
3 Tc-99
4 U-238
C-14
The isotope that can be used as a tracer to study the age of organic material is C-14 (carbon-14). To determine this, we need to understand the concept of radioactive decay and the properties of carbon isotopes.
Carbon has three isotopes: C-12, C-13, and C-14. C-12 and C-13 are stable isotopes, meaning they do not undergo radioactive decay. On the other hand, C-14 is a radioactive isotope with a half-life of approximately 5730 years.
When living organisms are alive, they continuously take in carbon from the environment. The carbon they intake contains a small amount of C-14, which is produced in the upper atmosphere due to cosmic ray interactions. After an organism dies, it no longer takes in carbon, and the amount of C-14 in its remains starts to decrease over time due to radioactive decay.
By measuring the remaining C-14 in the organic material and comparing it to the amount of C-14 in the atmosphere, scientists can estimate the age of the remains. This technique, known as carbon dating, is commonly used to determine the age of archaeological artifacts, fossils, and other organic materials up to around 50,000 years old.
Therefore, the correct answer is 2) C-14.