Questions!

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Questions!
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Question 1
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Question 1

• Q. Define archaeology in your own words

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Question 1

• Define archaeology in your own words
• The study of past cultures through their material
  remains
• Scientific study of material remains of past
  human life and activities

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Question 2
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Question 2

• Q. What is the difference between archaeology
  and archaeological sciences?

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Question 2

• What is the difference between archaeology and
  archaeological sciences?
• A. Archaeological sciences use the hard sciences
  to answer questions or problems raised in
  archaeological investigations

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Question 3
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Question 3

• Q. List the three radiometric dating techniques

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Question 3

• List the three radiometric dating techniques
• Radiocarbon
• U-series or U/Th
• K/Ar

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Question 4
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Question 4

• Q. Name or describe some of the hard sciences
  that may contribute to archaeological science
  studies.

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Question 4

• Name or describe two of the hard sciences that
  may contribute to archaeological science studies.
• Geology (Geoarchaeology)
• (Paleo)climatology Climate studies
• Soil Sciences
• Paleobiology Diet/subsistence/DNA studies
• Material Sciences

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Question 5
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Question 5

• Q. How/Why does radiometric dating work?

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Question 5

• How/Why does radiometric dating work?
• Unstable isotopes of carbon (C), uranium (U), and
  potassium (K), decay at a predictable rate
• Extra The age of the material can be calculated
  by measuring the ratio of the parent to daughter
  isotope or by measuring the current rate of decay.

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Question 6
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Question 6

• Q. Define half-life.

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Question 6

• Define half-life.
• A. The amount of time it takes for half of an
  initial quantity of unstable isotopes to decay.

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Question 7

• Q. Correctly identify/label the elements used in
  archaeological dating

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Question 7
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Question 7
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Question 8

• Q. What is the half-life of 14C? What is the
  maximum age that can be reliably obtained with
  this method?

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Question 8

• What is the half-life of 14C? What is the
  maximum age that can be reliably obtained with
  this method?
• ½ life 5730 years
• ½ life x 10 50,000 years

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Question 9
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Question 9

• Q. How is 14C produced in the atmosphere? (i.e.
  What is bombarded by what?)

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Question 9

• How is 14C produced in the atmosphere? (i.e.
  What is bombarded by what?)
• Cosmic rays bombard 14N found naturally in the
  air producing an unstable element with one extra
  neutron and one less proton
• 147N 10n 146C 11p

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Question 10
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Question 10

• What sorts of things absorb 14C?
• What do these entities all have in common??

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Question 10
A. All are carbon based life!
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Question 11
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Question 11

• Q. A sample is 11,500 years old. What
  proportion of the original 14C remains in the
  sample? Think, how many half lives have passed?

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Question 11

• Q. A sample is 11,500 years old. What
  proportion of the original 14C remains in the
  sample? Think, how many half lives have passed?

0.25
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Question 12
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Question 12

• Q. What is the shape of the radiocarbon decay
  curve?

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Question 12

• What is the shape of the radiocarbon decay curve?
• A. Exponential

Exponential Decay
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Question 13
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Question 13

• Q. What are the baths required for the
  pretreatment of radiocarbon samples?

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Question 13

• What are the baths required for the
  pretreatment of radiocarbon samples?
• A. ACID, BASE, ACID

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Question 14
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Question 14

• Q. Name one advantage and one disadvantage to
  using AMS.

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Question 14

• Name one advantage and one disadvantage to using
  AMS.
• Advantage Faster, less sample required
• Disadvantage More expensive

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Question 15
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Question 15

• Name one advantage and one disadvantage to using
  the conventional method of radiocarbon dating.

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Question 15

• Name one advantage and one disadvantage to using
  the conventional method of radiocarbon dating.
• Advantage Cheaper
• Disadvantage Takes longer, requires larger
  sample

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Question 16
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Question 16

• Q. What is the date range for the U/Th method?

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Question 16

• What is the date range for the U/Th method?
• A. 450,000 years ago until present the benefit
  to this system is that it fills the gap between
  radiocarbon and K/Ar

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Question 17
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Question 17

• Q. The U/Th method can be used on what types of
  material?

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Question 17

• The U/Th method can be used on what types of
  material?
• A. Calcite Coral, speleothems (cave deposits),
  bone

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Question 18
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Question 18

• Q. What is the date range for the K/Ar dating
  method?

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Question 18

• What is the date range for the K/Ar dating
  method?
• A. 500,000 years old to MILLIONS of years old!

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Question 19
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Question 19

• Q. How is K/Ar dating used in archaeology?

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Question 19

• How is K/Ar dating used in archaeology?
• A. It is used to give absolute upper and lower
  age limits to a layer of archaeological
  materials.

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Question 20
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Question 20

• Q. Fill in the blank spaces on the following
  chart

Isotope system ½ Life Date Range from to Date Range from to
14C
234U/238U 234U/230Th 4.5 billion yrs 244,000 yrs 2 million yrs 10,000 yrs
K-Ar 1.3 billion yrs
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Question 20

• Q. Fill in the blank spaces on the following
  chart

A.
Isotope system ½ Life Date Range from to Date Range from to
14C 5730 yrs 50,000 years Present
234U/238U 234U/230Th 4.5 billion yrs 244,000 yrs 2 million yrs 450,000 yrs 10,000 yrs present
K-Ar 1.3 billion yrs Millions of yrs 500,000 yrs