Answer:
To find the age of the fossil
Step-by-step explanation:
You measure the intensity of the radiation (counts per minute) from a given mass of the sample.
If you know the half-life of the radioactive isotope (e.g., carbon-14), you can work backwards and calculate the number of years since the organism died.
A is <em>wrong</em>. You use a balance to determine the mass of the fossil.
C is <em>wrong</em>. The level of radiation tells you nothing about the species of the fossil.
D is <em>wrong.</em> You use a radiation detector to determine if a fossil is radioactive.