Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
-A fossilized leaf contains 18% of its normal amount of carbon 14. How old is the fossil (to the nearest year)? Use 5600 years as the half-life of carbon 14.
A) 35,538
B) 1,600
C) 13,829
D) 23,309

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the fossil can be calculated using the formula for radioactive decay, $N = N_0 \times (1/2)^{t/T}$, where $N$ is the remaining amount of substance, $N_0$ is the initial amount of substance, $t$ is the time that has passed, and $T$ is the half-life of the substance. Given that the fossilized leaf contains 18% of its normal amount of carbon 14, we can set $N/N_0 = 0.18$ and $T = 5600$ years. Solving for $t$, we find that the fossil is approximately 13,829 years old.

Choose the One Alternative That Best Completes the Statement or Answers