SOLUTION: Archeologists can use the known decay rate of Carbon- 14 to estimate the age of organic objects. Suppose Illinois Jones has discovered a wooden spear in a cave. If the wood contain
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Question 866480: Archeologists can use the known decay rate of Carbon- 14 to estimate the age of organic objects. Suppose Illinois Jones has discovered a wooden spear in a cave. If the wood contains 12% of it s original amount of Carbon- 14, approximately how old is the spear? The half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730. Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Archeologists can use the known decay rate of Carbon- 14 to estimate the age of organic objects.
If the wood contains 12% of it s original amount of Carbon- 14, approximately how old is the spear?
The half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730.
:
Use the radioactive decay formula: A = Ao*2^(-t/h); where:
A = remaining amt after t time
Ao = initial amt
t = time of decay
h = half-life of substance
:
let initial amt = 1, then remaining amt = .12
1*2^(-t/5730) = .12
using logs = = -3.05889
t = -3.05889 * 5730
t = 17,527 yrs is the age of the wood
