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The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986 - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 31 - 2013 - Paper 1
Question 31
The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986. A mummified carcase of a thylacine was found in a cave on ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, dog-like marsupial that was declared extinct in 1986 - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 31 - 2013 - Paper 1
Step 1
C. measuring the proportion of carbon-14 atoms in the carcase.
Answer
Carbon-14 dating is a widely utilized method for dating organic remains, particularly those that are up to about 50,000 years old. Since the mummified thylacine carcase is approximately 5000 years old, this method would provide a reliable estimate of its age. Other methods, such as potassium-argon dating, are more suited to geological samples and are not applicable to organic materials like the thylacine.