Nuclear Physics Explained
Isotopes as Clocks and Fingerprints
TV-PG
S1 • E23 Apr 26, 2018 30mThe steady rate at which unstable isotopes decay, known as their half-life, makes them ideal for dating objects. Identify the radioactive isotopes best-suited for establishing age, such as carbon-14 for organic remains from human history and uranium-238 for billion-year-old geological formations. Also, see how stable isotopes can be used for fraud detection and studying ancient climates.