Question

How does radiocarbon (or uranium) dating help us better understand the world

Answer 1

Here we have to discuss the understanding of world through radiocarbon or uranium.

The radiocarbon or uranium helps us to determine the age of the world.

All uranium or radiocarbon elements after ejecting the radioactive rays convert to non-radioactive element lead (²⁰⁸Pb). If we assume that during the generation of world there were not any amount of lead was present i.e. only uranium or radiocarbon was present. Then by analysis of any uranium or radiocarbon at the present date one can determine the age of the world as follows:

In present moment we know that the ratio of uranium (U) and lead (Pb) in any uranium ore is 10:3 (gram atom ratio)

So, $\frac{the amount of uranium at the generation of world}{The remaining amount of uranium on present day}$ = $\frac{10+3}{10}$

Therefore, from the equation: ln$\frac{N_{0} }{N}$ = λt (where λ = rate of dissociation of uranium, t = time); we can write:

t = λ⁻¹ ln$\frac{N_{0} }{N}$ =  λ⁻¹ln$\frac{13}{10}$.

On plugging the dissociation rate of uranium we can obtain the age of the world, which is nearly 1.5×10⁹ years.

Thus the use of radioactive element to understand the world is explained.