If a fossil bone is found to contain 1/8th as much Carbon-14 as the bone of a living animal,what is the approximate age of the fossil? (half-life of ¹⁴C = 5 730 years)

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fossil contains 1/8th of the original Carbon-14, which means it has gone through 3 half-lives (since 1/2^3 = 1/8). Each half-life is 5,730 years, so 3 half-lives is 3 * 5,730 = 17,190 years, approximately 17,200 years.

If a Fossil Bone Is Found to Contain 1/8th as Much