Physics SL
5
Chapters
329
Notes
Theme A - Space, Time & Motion
Theme B - The Particulate Nature Of Matter
Theme C - Wave Behaviour
Theme D - Fields
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
Physics SL
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
Unlocking Time's Secrets: The Science Of Radioactive Dating
669 words
4 mins read
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024
Table of content
Intro to Radioactive Dating 🚀
- Radioactive dating (or radiometric dating) is like the ultimate stopwatch for scientists. 🕰️
- It uses changes in radioactivity to figure out how old stuff like rocks and fossils are.
Carbon Dating - Nature's Calendar 🌲
- Used mostly for things up to about 60,000 years old (so, no dinosaurs! 🦖).
- Here's how it works
- Plants and animals munch on carbon throughout their lives.
- When they die, it's like their carbon clock stops ticking.
- There's stable carbon (carbon-12) and the more drama-filled, unstable carbon-14.
- Over time, carbon-14 says "goodbye" and turns into nitrogen-14. Bye, buddy! 👋
- Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years. This means half of it will have transformed into nitrogen-14 after that time.
- By measuring the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12, we can tell how long it's been since Mr. Plant or Mrs. Dinosaur took their last carbon snack.
Rock's Age & Geology's Magic Tricks 🪨
- Rocks don't munch on carbon, but they've got their secrets too.
- Geologists can know their age by looking at the uranium inside them.
- Uranium-238 eventually turns into a lead isotope and takes 470 billion years for half of it to do so.
- Uranium-235? It's a bit faster. Half becomes a lead isotope in 700 million years.
- The cool bit: comparing the two gives a cross-check. Like double-checking your answers in a test!
Unlock the Full Content! 
Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Physics SL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟
Physics SL
Theme E - Nuclear & Quantum Physics
Unlocking Time's Secrets: The Science Of Radioactive Dating
669 words
4 mins read
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024
Table of content
Intro to Radioactive Dating 🚀
- Radioactive dating (or radiometric dating) is like the ultimate stopwatch for scientists. 🕰️
- It uses changes in radioactivity to figure out how old stuff like rocks and fossils are.
Carbon Dating - Nature's Calendar 🌲
- Used mostly for things up to about 60,000 years old (so, no dinosaurs! 🦖).
- Here's how it works
- Plants and animals munch on carbon throughout their lives.
- When they die, it's like their carbon clock stops ticking.
- There's stable carbon (carbon-12) and the more drama-filled, unstable carbon-14.
- Over time, carbon-14 says "goodbye" and turns into nitrogen-14. Bye, buddy! 👋
- Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5700 years. This means half of it will have transformed into nitrogen-14 after that time.
- By measuring the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12, we can tell how long it's been since Mr. Plant or Mrs. Dinosaur took their last carbon snack.
Rock's Age & Geology's Magic Tricks 🪨
- Rocks don't munch on carbon, but they've got their secrets too.
- Geologists can know their age by looking at the uranium inside them.
- Uranium-238 eventually turns into a lead isotope and takes 470 billion years for half of it to do so.
- Uranium-235? It's a bit faster. Half becomes a lead isotope in 700 million years.
- The cool bit: comparing the two gives a cross-check. Like double-checking your answers in a test!
Unlock the Full Content!
Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Physics SL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟
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