Two carbon atoms present in the fossils are used to calculate the age of the fossils bones (and, in general, in all living material): carbon 12 and carbon 14. Both atoms behave similarly, but carbon 12 does not degrade over time, while carbon 14 does, as it is more unstable, but it does so slowly and steadily. Every 5730 years, half of carbon 14 is degraded, that is, the half-life of this atom. This carbon 14 measurement works well for estimating ages up to about 60,000 years, for longer times uranium 238, potassium 40 or rubidium 87 are used. The initial amount of carbon 14 can be estimated from carbon 12 or by knowing that carbon-14 transforms into nitrogen-14 over time, but the number of atoms totals stay the same. The equation that has been determined to describe radioactive decay, knowing the half-life, is given by N/N0 = 2(-t/t1/2), where N is the quantity of the radioactive substance at time t, with a half-life of t1/2 and an initial amount of N0. a) A rock contains 2 grams of carbon 14 and 10 grams of nitrogen 14. How old have the rock? b) A fossil contains 8 grams of carbon 14 and 71 grams of nitrogen 14. How old is the fossil? ¡Important note: Please answer in an orderly manner and with legible handwriting, preferably not italic, as I cannot read italic.!
Two carbon atoms present in the fossils are used to calculate the age of the fossils bones (and, in general, in all living material): carbon 12 and carbon 14. Both atoms behave similarly, but carbon 12 does not degrade over time, while carbon 14 does, as it is more unstable, but it does so slowly and steadily. Every 5730 years, half of carbon 14 is degraded, that is, the half-life of this atom.
This carbon 14 measurement works well for estimating ages up to about 60,000 years, for longer times uranium 238, potassium 40 or rubidium 87 are used. The initial amount of carbon 14 can be estimated from carbon 12 or by knowing that carbon-14 transforms into nitrogen-14 over time, but the number of atoms totals stay the same.
The equation that has been determined to describe radioactive decay, knowing the half-life, is given by N/N0 = 2(-t/t1/2), where N is the quantity of the radioactive substance at time t, with a half-life of t1/2 and an initial amount of N0.
a) A rock contains 2 grams of carbon 14 and 10 grams of nitrogen 14. How old have the rock?
b) A fossil contains 8 grams of carbon 14 and 71 grams of nitrogen 14. How old is the fossil?
¡Important note: Please answer in an orderly manner and with legible handwriting, preferably not italic, as I cannot read italic.!
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 5 steps
