The half-life of carbon-14 (¹⁴C) is approximately 5,000 years.The ratio of ¹⁴C to carbon-12 (¹²C) in a fossil 25,000 years old would be _______ that of a living organism today.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,000 years, after 25,000 years, there will be 2^5 = 32 times less carbon-14 present in the fossil compared to a living organism today. Thus, the ratio of ¹⁴C to ¹²C in the fossil would be 1/32 that of a living organism today. Therefore, the best choice is D (1/32).

The Half-Life of Carbon-14 (14C) Is Approximately 5,000 Years

The Half-Life of Carbon-14 (¹⁴C) Is Approximately 5,000 Years