Question

pause it at 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000 and write down approximately what proportion of the total atoms are 14c at each point. graph these values against the years that have passed. is the graph linear? in other words, does the number of 14c atoms drop by the same amount every 5,000 years?

Answer 1

Carbon-14 experiences exponential decay, not linear, with a half-life of 5,730 years. A graph of the proportion of atoms remaining over time would show a curve because after each half-life, only half of the carbon-14 remains.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the concept of radioactive decay and the use of carbon-14 (14C) for radiometric dating. Carbon-14 undergoes exponential decay with a half-life of approximately 5,730 years. To graph the proportion of carbon-14 atoms remaining over time, we must understand that the decay graph is not linear. Instead, after each half-life period, half of the remaining carbon-14 atoms will have decayed. Thus, if you start with 100% carbon-14, after 5,730 years (one half-life), you would have approximately 50%, after 11,460 years (two half-lives), about 25%, and after 17,190 years (three half-lives), roughly 12.5% would remain. When graphed, this relationship forms a curve that represents exponential decay rather than a straight line characteristic of linear relationships.