229k views
0 votes
Find the age of the mammal hide to the nearest year. A farmer in China discovers a mammal hide that contains 71% of its original amount of C-14. Enter the correct answer.

A. N=0.25N0
B. N=0.29N0
C. Both a and b
D. None of the above

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

The age of the mammal hide can be determined by using the decay formula for C-14 and calculating the time t based on the remaining 71% of C-14. The answer choices provided do not match the scenario, making the correct choice 'None of the above'.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the approximate age of the mammal hide using C-14 dating, we must utilize the decay formula N = N0e-λt, where N is the remaining amount of C-14, N0 is the original amount of C-14, λ is the decay constant, and t is the time in years.

The decay constant can be calculated using the half-life formula λ = 0.693/t1/2, where the half-life t1/2 of C-14 is known to be 5730 years. Given that the hide contains 71% of its original C-14, we can equate N/N0 = 0.71.

First, we calculate the decay constant:

λ = 0.693/5730 = 1.209 × 10-4 years-1

Next, we input the values into the decay equation and solve for t:

0.71 = e-(1.209 × 10-4t)

Taking the natural logarithm of both sides:

ln(0.71) = -1.209 × 10-4t

Solving for t, we find the age of the hide.

Based on the information provided, none of the answer choices (A. N=0.25N0 B. N=0.29N0 C. Both A and B D. None of the above) correspond to the current scenario of 71% remaining C-14, making the correct answer D. None of the above.

User AbdurRehman Khan
by
8.0k points