Question

The half-life of carbon-14 is about 7000 years. Assume that a tree died and became a fossil 14,000 years ago. How much of the original carbon-14 would you find in the wood today?

Answer 1

One-fourth of the original carbon-14 isotope would be found in the wood today.

Step-by-step explanation:

The half life of carbon-14 7000 years

Since the tree died and became a fossil 14000 years ago, number of times the tree has undergone decay in 14000 years = 14000/7000 = 2

Therefore, the carbon-14 would have undergone decay twice or passed through two half-lives

After one decay, 1/2 of the original sample remains

After another decay, 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/4 of the original sample remains.

Therefore, one-fourth of the original carbon-14 isotope would be found in the wood today.