Graded assignment
laboratory: rocks and minerals
purpose: the purpose of this lab is to identily 4 unknown mineral samples by observing the color luster streak
and hardness
directions: use the pictures of each unknown mineral to fill out the table in part a then compare your table to
the data table in part b to identify the 4 unknown minerals last answer some analysis questions in part c
parta: observation
for each picture of a mineral write down your observations in the data table below use only the terms provided
in the example row to fill out the data table
unknown #1
racordo
vations about the color and lustrothe minerals. then
at the treak and observe whether or not the mineral scratched plass
the
unknown mineral al
scratch test
unknown #2
scratch test
unknown mineral 2
stresk test

answer: carbon 14 can only be used to determine the age of the organisms that were once living, and igneous rocks are non living.

explanation:

carbon 14 dating is used to determine the age of the sample by estimating the amount of carbon 14 present in the sample and then comparing it with a reference standard.carbon 14 is a isotope of carbon which is radioactive and unstable. carbon 14 is assimilated by all plants and animals throughout their life from carbon dioxide. however, one the organisms die they stop this assimilation and the carbon 14 content starts to decrease.by knowing how much of carbon 14 is left in an organism after his death, one can estimate the age of the organism. the materials whose age can be estimated by carbon 14 method are the organic compounds. however, some inorganic compounds such as aragonite   shell can also be dated.however, if we consider the igneous rocks it is a non living component which never accumulated carbon 14 in it and thus, we cannot use carbon 14 dating method to estimate its age.