I think I know what you are getting at, if you are asking how carbon dating tells you the age of something?
Living creatures all take in carbon throughout their lifetime, a fixed proportion of this carbon is the isotope carbon fourteen (the the proportion of "normal carbon", found in the environment, to carbon 14 is constant). When something dies it stops taking in carbon in all forms and as it is no longer being replenished, the levels of carbon 14 drop by the means of radioactive decay.
By looking at the carbon ration in the dead organic material and comparing it the ratio found in nature, you can use the half life of carbon 14 to work out the materials age. I assume this is the same for other forms of dating used on organic matter.
I hope that is what you were asking.
Living creatures all take in carbon throughout their lifetime, a fixed proportion of this carbon is the isotope carbon fourteen (the the proportion of "normal carbon", found in the environment, to carbon 14 is constant). When something dies it stops taking in carbon in all forms and as it is no longer being replenished, the levels of carbon 14 drop by the means of radioactive decay.
By looking at the carbon ration in the dead organic material and comparing it the ratio found in nature, you can use the half life of carbon 14 to work out the materials age. I assume this is the same for other forms of dating used on organic matter.
I hope that is what you were asking.
