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Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years. In a plant fossil, you find that the 14C has decayed to 1/16.0 of the original amount. How long ago was this plant alive?

Respuesta :

meerkat18
The question is asking to determine and calculate the duration or year that the plants  was alive, base on the data that is represented in the problem, by my computation and further research, I would say that the plants is 2.29*10^4 years ago that the plants is alive. I hope you are satisfied with my answer and feel free to ask for more 

The plant was alive 22920 years.

Further explanation:

Radioactivity

  • Radioactivity is the process by which unstable nuclides or isotopes undergo  spontaneous disintegration by emitting beta, alpha or gamma particles and energy.

Half life

  • Half life is the time it takes for a radioactive isotope to decay by half of its original mass.
  • For example, the half life of carbon-14 is 5730 years which means it takes 5730 years for mass of carbon-14 to decay to a half the original amount.

Importance of half life

  • Half-life is used to approximate the age of fossils or other organic materials. eg, half-life of carbon-14.
  • Using the equation;

N = No x (1/2)^n

Where N is the remaining mass, No is the original, and n is the number of half lives.

The half life is 5730 years

Remaining mass = 1/16  

original mass = 1

Therefore;

Replacing the values in the equation;

1/16 = 1 x (1/2)^n

1/16 = (1/2)^n

log (1/16) = n log (1/2)

n = log(1/16)/log(1/2)

 = 4

The number of half lives is 4

Therefore;

The time taken for the decay = 4 x 5730 years

                                                 = 22920 years

Keywords: Radioactivity, half life, radioactive

Learn more about;

  • Radioactivity: https://brainly.com/question/11605145
  • Half life: https://brainly.com/question/2201431

Level: High school

Subject; Physics

Topic: Radioactivity

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