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Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years. A plant fossil was found to contain 1.75 grams of carbon-14. How long ago did the bone contain 7 grams of carbon-14?

User Tortuga
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1 Answer

4 votes

Answer:

THE BONE WAS 11, 460 YEARS WHEN IT CONTAIN 7 g OF CARBON-14

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the age of a substance using isotopic dating, we use the equation below;

how old (time) = number of lives (n) * half life (t1/2)

n =the number of lives from 7g to 1.75 g

n = 7 -----> 3.5 ------> 1.75 = 2 lives

t1/2 = 5730 years.

How old was the fossil when it contains 7 g of carbon- 14 will be;

how old = n * t1/2

= 2 * 5730 years

= 11, 460 years.

The bone contains 7 grams of carbon-14 at 11, 460 years.

User Ravenskater
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