Solve the problem.
-The charcoal from a tree killed in a volcanic eruption contained 68.2% of the carbon-14 found in living matter. How old is the tree, to the nearest year? Use 5700 years for the half-life of carbon-14.
A) 5700 years
B) 2182 years
C) 1512 years
D) 3147 years

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the half-life formula for exponential decay, we can set up the equation: 
0.682 = (1/2)^(t/5700) 
where t is the age of the tree. 
Solving for t, we get: 
t = (ln 0.682) * 5700 / (ln 1/2) 
t ≈ 3147 
Therefore, the tree is approximately 3147 years old.

Solve the Problem. -The Charcoal from a Tree Killed in a Volcanic Eruption