Scientists can determine the age of ancient objects by the method of radiocarbon dating. The bombardment of the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays converts nitrogen to a radioactive isotope of carbon, C, with a half-life of about 5,730 years. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, and animal life assimilates 14C through food chains. When a plant or animal dies, it stops replacing its carbon, and the amount of 14C present begins to decrea through radioactive decay. Therefore, the level of radioactivity must also decay exponentially.
Scientists can determine the age of ancient objects by the method of radiocarbon dating. The bombardment of the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays converts nitrogen to a radioactive isotope of carbon, C, with a half-life of about 5,730 years. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, and animal life assimilates 14C through food chains. When a plant or animal dies, it stops replacing its carbon, and the amount of 14C present begins to decrea through radioactive decay. Therefore, the level of radioactivity must also decay exponentially.
Advanced Engineering Mathematics
10th Edition
ISBN:9780470458365
Author:Erwin Kreyszig
Publisher:Erwin Kreyszig
Chapter2: Second-order Linear Odes
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
Transcribed Image Text:Scientists can determine the age of ancient objects by the method of radiocarbon dating. The bombardment of the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays converts nitrogen to a radioactive isotope of carbon, ¹4C, with a half-life of about
5,730 years. Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, and animal life assimilates ¹4C through food chains. When a plant or animal dies, it stops replacing its carbon, and the amount of ¹4C present begins to decrease
through radioactive decay. Therefore, the level of radioactivity must also decay exponentially.
A discovery revealed a parchment fragment that had about 54% as much 14C radioactivity as does plant material on the earth today. Estimate the age (in years) of the parchment. (Round your answer to the nearest hundred years.)
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