document.write( "Question 231367: Th half-life of Carbon 14 is 5730 years. If 8 grams remain after 1000 years, what was the initial quantity? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #171263 by nerdybill(7384)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \n" ); document.write( "Th half-life of Carbon 14 is 5730 years. If 8 grams remain after 1000 years, what was the initial quantity? \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Exponential decay is described by: \n" ); document.write( "N(t) = N(0) e^(kt) \n" ); document.write( "where \n" ); document.write( "N(t) amount at time t \n" ); document.write( "N(0) initial amount \n" ); document.write( "k is the growth rate \n" ); document.write( "t is time \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "First we need to figure out what k is... \n" ); document.write( "x/2 = x * e^(5730k) \n" ); document.write( "1/2 = e^(5730k) \n" ); document.write( "ln(1/2) = 5730k \n" ); document.write( "ln(1/2)/5730 = k \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Now, we can answer: \n" ); document.write( "If 8 grams remain after 1000 years, what was the initial quantity? \n" ); document.write( "N(t) = N(0) e^(kt) \n" ); document.write( "Let x = initial quantity \n" ); document.write( "8 = x * e^(1000 * ln(1/2)/5730) \n" ); document.write( "8/e^(1000 * ln(1/2)/5730) = x \n" ); document.write( "9.03 grams = x\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |