SOLUTION: An anthropologist finds bone that her instruments measure it as 0.146% of the amount of Carbon-14 the bones would have contained when the person was alive. How long ago did the pe

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Question 982300: An anthropologist finds bone that her instruments measure it as 0.146% of the amount of Carbon-14 the bones would have contained when the person was alive. How long ago did the person die?
The half life of carbon 14 is 5,730 years. Round your answer to the nearest thousand.

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
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An anthropologist finds bone that her instruments measure it as 0.146% of the amount of Carbon-14 the bones would have contained when the person was alive.
How long ago did the person die?
The half life of carbon 14 is 5,730 years.
Round your answer to the nearest thousand.
:
Using the formula: A = Ao*2^(-t/h); where:
A = amt remaining after t time
Ao = initial amt
t = time of decay
h = half-life of substance (5730 yrs for carbon 14)
:
A = .00146
Ao = 12^(-t/5730) = .00146
t = time of decay
h = 5730
:
1*2^(-t/5730) = .00146
using nat logs
ln(2^(-t/5730)) = ln(.00146)
exponent equiv
-t%2F5730ln(2) = ln(.00146)
-t%2F5730 = ln%28.00146%29%2Fln%282%29
use your calc
-t%2F5730 = -9.4198
t = -5730 * -9.4198
t = 53,975 yrs