Geography 1100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Radioactive Decay, Solvolysis, Cosmic Ray
14 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
The most important problem: the study of the evidence. Evidence is a piece of information that supports a conclusion. Most of what people believe is unsupported by evidence. Nevertheless, ideas are stronger when backed by information that your audience accepts. It is important to distinguish scientific from non-scientific forms of evidence. It is important to distinguish evidence from non-evidence. Radioactive decay: the idea of life, carbon 14: 5730 yr. life present in all living organisms. Cosmic ray proton hits nucleus of atom releasing a high-speed neutron which strikes a nitrogen atom, changing it into radioactive carbon 14. Can further combine with oxygen to form co2, which combines with plants (who don"t care whether its c14 or c12). Evaporation : o16 enriches vapour, moves onto land and runs off to ocean during warm period, but during glacial periods is deposited in ice on the land and remains there. O18 in the water is higher at these times.
