Answer

Hi Laura,

Thank you for this great information on radioactive isotopes! These are both good examples of systems that can be used, depending on the time-scale and nature of the material being dated (carbon-based, for example, versus older rocks)

Given the extremely small nature of these isotopes and their sensitivity to contaminants from secondary sources, what considerations must be made when measuring these in the laboratory setting? What type of machinery is used to conduct these fine-scale measurements?