What is radio carbon dating ?

Explanation

Carbon dating:
The interesting application of beta decay is radioactive dating or carbon dating.Using this technique, the age of an ancient object can be calculated.All living organisms absorb carbon dioxide`(CO_(2))` from air to synthesize organic molecules. In this absorbed `CO_(2)` the major part is `""_(6)^(12)"C"` and very small fraction `(1.3 xx 10^(12))` is radioactive `""_(6)^(14)"C"` whose half - life is 5730 years.
Carbon - 14 in the atmosphere is always decaying but at the same time, cosmic rays from outer space are continuously bombarding the atoms in the atmosphere which produces `""_(6)^(14)"C"`. So the continuous production and decay of `""_(6)^(14)"C"` in the atmosphere keep the ratio of `""_(6)^(14)"C"` to `""_(6)^(12)"C"` always constant.
Since our human body, tree or any living organisms continuously absorb `CO_(2)` from the atmosphere, the ratio of `""_(6)^(14)"C"` to `""_(6)^(12)"C"` in the living organisms is also nearly constant.But when the organisms dies, it stops absorbing `CO_(2)`.
Since `""_(6)^(14)"C"` starts to decay, the ratio of` ""_(6)^(14)"C"` to `""_(6)^(12)"C"` in the ancient tree pieces excavated is known, then the age of the tree pieces can be calculated.