Answer
Dead organisms no longer take in Carbon-14, so the amount already present in their systems will decay with a half life of approximately 5730 years. By gauging the amount of Carbon-14 in an organism, scientists can deduce how long ago they died.
Work Step by Step
Dead organisms no longer take in Carbon-14, so the amount already present in their systems will decay with a half life of approximately 5730 years. By gauging the amount of Carbon-14 in an organism, scientists can deduce how long ago they died.