If you could know that a fossil that is 10,000 years old started with 20 mg of carbon-14, how much would you expect that same fossil to have today?

Question

Biology

Haley Cobb

7 March, 23:15

If you could know that a fossil that is 10,000 years old started with 20 mg of carbon-14, how much would you expect that same fossil to have today?

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Sebastian · Answer 1

The half life of Carbon 14 is 5730 years. By substituting the given figures to the formula x=I (1/2) ^n where x is the amount of the remaining material, I is the initial amount and n is the quotient between the time elapsed and carbon 14's halflife. You will arise with the formula x=20 (1/2) ^1.745. You will get 5.97 mg.