How can C14 dating be used to date material that never lived, for example, pottery? I read C14dating.com and it states that 1) it should be living material and 2) there is an equilibrium between C14 in the atmosphere and whats in the living material being measured. Is the equilibrium maintained because the animal ate food and breathed and so C14 enters it's body. But when it dies the C14 stops entering it's body and starts decaying? Water and pottery are not living material surely the amount of C14 is relatively constant? If we can water using C14 dating then couldn't ground water contaminate all samples of material we try to date producing totally bogus results? Aren't bones porous? Also, I read another report that C14 concentrations actually fluctuate. This makes sense because it's an equalibrium so changes are not instantaneous and the earth is not exactly a closed system with small space rocks and space dust coming into contact with the upper atmosphere. This brings up another question, how on earth can C14 dating be reliable? Phew. Lots of questions sorry.

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