The half- life of carbon- 14 is about 6000 years. Assume that a sample of charcoal formed by burning of living wood 15,000 years ago. How much of the original carbon- 14 would remain today?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

After 6000 years, half of the original carbon-14 will have decayed. After another 6000 years, half of the remaining amount will have decayed again. This means that after 15,000 years, there will be:

1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/8

So, only one-eighth of the original carbon-14 would remain today, which is between one-fourth and one-eighth. Therefore, the correct choice is D.

The Half- Life of Carbon- 14 Is About 6000 Years