Question

A woolly rhinocerous skeleton (Coelodonta antiquitatis) found in Poland contains 1.30% of the C-14 found in living animals. How long ago did the organism die?

Answer 1

The organism died 35900 years ago

Step-by-step explanation:

• Half life C-14 is 5730 years.
• For decay of radioactive nuclides:
  `(N)/(N_(0))=((1)/(2))^{\frac{t}{t_{(1)/(2)}}}`
• 
  `(N)/(N_(0))` is the fraction of radioactive nuclide remain present after t time and
  `t_{(1)/(2)}` is the half-life of radioactive nuclide
• Here
  `(N)/(N_(0))` is 0.013 and
  `t_{(1)/(2)}` is 5730 yeras

Plug-in all the values in the above equation:

`0.013=((1)/(2))^{(t)/(5730years)}`

So, t = 35900 years

Hence the organism died 35900 years ago