The ratio of carbon-13 to carbon-12 in a sample of material from a C₃ plant is 122:10,000. The same ratio for the reference standard is 125:10,000. Delta (δ) is thus _______ per thousand. A) ‒24 B) ‒3 C) 3 D) 24

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Delta (δ) is calculated using the formula: δ = [(R_sample/R_standard) - 1] x 1000, where R is the ratio of carbon-13 to carbon-12. Plugging in the values: δ = [(122/125) - 1] x 1000 = -24 per thousand.

The Ratio of Carbon-13 to Carbon-12 in a Sample of Material