If an isotope has a half- life of 4 million years,and a fossil is 16 million years old,how much of the original isotope will be found in the fossil?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Every half-life period reduces the amount of the isotope to half. Since the isotope has a half-life of 4 million years and the fossil is 16 million years old, the isotope has undergone four half-life periods. Therefore, (1/2)^4 = 1/16 of the original amount of the isotope will be found in the fossil. This corresponds to option C - one-sixteenth of the original amount.

If an Isotope Has a Half- Life of 4 Million