2 Radiocarbon Dating and Calibration Online Quiz Questions

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False

AMS measures radiation produced by decay; radiometric methods count isotopes directly.

AMS counts carbon isotopes directly; radiometric methods measure radiation produced by ¹⁴C decay.

Both methods measure only the sample’s stable carbon isotopes.

Both methods estimate a calendar date by subtracting the radiocarbon age from 1950.

A piece of long-lived wood with no clear context, because it contains more carbon.

Short-lived plant remains from a well-defined context, if they are suitable and adequately preserved.

Any ancient carbon-bearing object found somewhere at the site.

A sample that has been moved or redeposited, because its age is already known.

Use IntCal20, because all terrestrial samples use that curve regardless of hemisphere.

Use Marine20, because the sample comes from the Southern Hemisphere.

Use SHCal20, because the sample is terrestrial and from the Southern Hemisphere.

Use no calibration curve, because only marine samples need calibration.

A freshwater sample whose carbon may include sources with different apparent radiocarbon ages.

Every terrestrial Northern Hemisphere sample, because IntCal20 cannot be used for terrestrial material.

A mixed-diet sample whose carbon may include sources with different apparent radiocarbon ages.

Any sample measured by AMS, because direct isotope counting always requires a marine reservoir correction.

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It includes all uncertainty from contamination, sample choice, and reservoir effects.

It describes measurement precision but does not include every possible source of error.

It gives the probability that the sample is correctly associated with the event.

It is the calendar-date range produced by the calibration curve.

The sample and laboratory identification.

The radiocarbon age and analytical uncertainty.

The calibration curve and software or method used.

The probability level and any reservoir correction.

A single calendar year selected from multiple ranges without justification.

It can make a sample’s association with an archaeological event reliable.

It can remove unwanted material, but cannot fix a mistaken association between sample and event.

It can ensure that long-lived wood dates the event when it was burned.

It can eliminate the need to consider sample context.

It counts carbon isotopes directly and can measure small samples.

It removes the need to pretreat samples.

It converts radiocarbon years directly into calendar years.

It eliminates uncertainty caused by contamination.

Subtract the measured age from AD 1950 and report the result as a calendar date.

Add the analytical uncertainty to AD 1950 to obtain a calendar range.

Calibrate the measurement against an appropriate curve because atmospheric ¹⁴C varied over time.

Treat the radiocarbon age as a calendar date if the laboratory uncertainty is small.

IntCal20, without considering any reservoir correction

Marine20, with an appropriate local reservoir correction where needed

SHCal20, because all marine samples come from the Southern Hemisphere

Any curve, because the carbon source does not affect calibration

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