The correct answer is: c) Organic materials.
Carbon-14 dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 (14C) to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years old. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. It is one of the three naturally occurring isotopes of carbon, along with 12C and 13C. 14C is produced in the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays. It is then absorbed by plants and animals through photosynthesis and respiration. When an organism dies, it stops absorbing 14C, and the amount of 14C in its remains begins to decrease as it decays radioactively. The half-life of 14C is 5,730 years, which means that half of the 14C in an organism’s remains will decay in 5,730 years. By measuring the amount of 14C in a sample, scientists can estimate its age.
Carbon-14 dating is most commonly used to date organic materials such as wood, bone, and charcoal. It can also be used to date other carbon-bearing materials such as soil, water, and ice. However, carbon-14 dating is not accurate for materials that are older than 58,000 to 62,000 years old, because the amount of 14C in these materials is too low to be measured accurately. Additionally, carbon-14 dating can be affected by factors such as the presence of other isotopes of carbon, the temperature of the environment, and the presence of contaminants.
Stone tools, pottery, and rock art are not organic materials, and therefore cannot be dated using carbon-14 dating. Stone tools are made from stone, which is an inorganic material. Pottery is made from clay, which is also an inorganic material. Rock art is made from pigments, which are also inorganic materials.