Question

A humanoid skeleton is found buried in the ashes of a volcano that erupted between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago. when scientists use absolute dating techniques to obtain an age of the fossil, approximately how much carbon-14 isotope will remain?

Answer 1

25% of the isotope will remain

Answer 2

From reliable sources in the internet, the half-live of carbon-14 is given to be 5,730 years. In a span of 10,000 to 12,000 years, there are almost or little more than 2 half-lives. Thus, there should be
A(t) = A(0)(1/2)^t
where t is the number of half-lives, in this case 2. Thus, only about 1/4 of the original amount will be left.