Given the following information, how many years have passed since the rock was formed?
Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years. This means that only half the carbon-14 that was trapped in a rock when it formed will remain after 5,730 years. After another 5,730 years, only one-fourth of the original amount of carbon-14 will remain. A scientist finds a rock that contains one gram of carbon-14. The scientist estimates that the rock originally contained eight grams of carbon-14.
Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years. This means that only half the carbon-14 that was trapped in a rock when it formed will remain after 5,730 years. After another 5,730 years, only one-fourth of the original amount of carbon-14 will remain. A scientist finds a rock that contains one gram of carbon-14. The scientist estimates that the rock originally contained eight grams of carbon-14.
1 Answer
Sep 23, 2017
Explanation:
As the example indicated, by the second half-life, only 1/4 was left. Therefore, only one more half-life would reduce the amount to 1/8 of the original. Thus, a total of 3 half-lives went past, or
