Carbon dating determines the approximate age of an object made from materials that wereonce alive by measuring the remaining percentage of a radioactive isotope, carbon-14. The age is calculated Using the formula $A = - \frac { \ln P } { 0.000121 }$ where P is the percentage of remaining carbon-14 (in decimal form). A specimen is determined to Be 3800 years old. What is the percentage of remaining carbon-14? Round to the nearest tenth of a Percent.
A) 23.1%
B) 43.1%
C) 76.1%
D) 63.1%

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the formula $A = - \frac { \ln P } { 0.000121 }$, substitute $A = 3800$ and solve for $P$. This gives $P \approx 0.631$, which is 63.1% when converted to a percentage.

Carbon Dating Determines the Approximate Age of an Object Made A=−ln⁡P0.000121A = - \frac { \ln P } { 0.000121 }A=−0.000121lnP​

Carbon Dating Determines the Approximate Age of an Object Made $A = - \frac { \ln P } { 0.000121 }$