Anwita is on a geology field trip and finds a rock that contains 59 % of the original potassium-40, while remaining amount of potassium-40 had decayed into argon-40. The half-life of potassium-40 is 1.25 × 109 years. Assume the only decay product is argon-40. How old is the rock in billions of years (109 years)?

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN:9780134746241
Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa
Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals
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Anwita is on a geology field trip and finds a rock that contains 59 % of the original potassium-40, while remaining amount of potassium-40 had decayed into argon-40. The half-life of potassium-40 is 1.25 × 109 years. Assume the only decay product is argon-40. How old is the rock in billions of years (109 years)?

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