If a fossil has only 25% of its ¹⁴C remaining,how old is it?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The half-life of carbon-14 (¹⁴C) is 5,730 years. If only 25% of the original carbon-14 remains, this means that 75% has decayed. Using the formula for exponential decay, we can solve for the time it takes for 75% of ¹⁴C to decay: 0.75 = e^(-kt), where k is the decay constant and t is the time in years. Rearranging, we get: t = -ln(0.75)/k. Plugging in the half-life of carbon-14, we get: t = -ln(0.75)/0.693 = 11,460 years. Therefore, the best choice is E.

If a Fossil Has Only 25% of Its 14C Remaining,how

If a Fossil Has Only 25% of Its ¹⁴C Remaining,how