If a specimen contains one-eighth the living amount of radiocarbon, it is probably around ______________ years old.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Radiocarbon dating is based on the decay of carbon-14, with a half-life of approximately 5730 years. If a specimen contains one-eighth the original amount of radiocarbon, it has gone through three half-lives (since 1/2^3 = 1/8). Therefore, it is approximately 3 x 5730 = 17,190 years old.

If a Specimen Contains One-Eighth the Living Amount of Radiocarbon