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Q.Which of the following isotopes is used for finding the fossil age maximum about 3,50,000 years ?

(a) ²³⁸U
(b) ¹⁴C
(c) ³H
(d) ²⁰⁶Pb
West Bengal WbchseWest Bengal HS (WBCHSE) Board 2026MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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Radiocarbon (¹⁴C) dating, based on the decay of carbon-14 (half-life ~5730 years), is used to determine the age of relatively young fossils/organic remains — the appropriate isotope for a maximum age around a few hundred thousand years.

Different radioisotopes suit different age ranges:

  • ¹⁴C (carbon-14): half-life ~5730 years; used for recent fossils and organic material — the correct choice for young fossils (the question's ~3,50,000-year range) as opposed to isotopes used for millions/billions of years.
  • ²³⁸U → ²⁰⁶Pb (uranium–lead): half-life in billions of years; used for very ancient rocks/fossils, far older than the range asked. …

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