Which dating technique would scholars use to date organic material found in an archaeological dig?

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Multiple Choice

Which dating technique would scholars use to date organic material found in an archaeological dig?

Explanation:
Dating organic material from an archaeological dig relies on measuring carbon-14 decay. Living organisms continually exchange carbon with the environment, so they contain a known amount of carbon-14. When they die, that carbon-14 begins to decay at a steady rate. By measuring how much carbon-14 remains in organic remains—like bone, charcoal, seeds, or parchment—we can estimate the time since death. This method works well for a wide range of organic materials and is effective for roughly up to 50,000 years. Dendrochronology is excellent for dating wood by counting and matching tree rings to build a precise calendar year for the growth rings, but it requires well-preserved wood with a long, continuous ring sequence. Potassium-argon dating dates volcanic materials and is intended for very old, inorganic contexts, not organic remains. Thermoluminescence dating measures the last time minerals were heated, so it’s used for ceramics and heated stones rather than organic matter.

Dating organic material from an archaeological dig relies on measuring carbon-14 decay. Living organisms continually exchange carbon with the environment, so they contain a known amount of carbon-14. When they die, that carbon-14 begins to decay at a steady rate. By measuring how much carbon-14 remains in organic remains—like bone, charcoal, seeds, or parchment—we can estimate the time since death. This method works well for a wide range of organic materials and is effective for roughly up to 50,000 years.

Dendrochronology is excellent for dating wood by counting and matching tree rings to build a precise calendar year for the growth rings, but it requires well-preserved wood with a long, continuous ring sequence. Potassium-argon dating dates volcanic materials and is intended for very old, inorganic contexts, not organic remains. Thermoluminescence dating measures the last time minerals were heated, so it’s used for ceramics and heated stones rather than organic matter.

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