Radioactive decay can be used to determine the age of an object. If you know the

Question

Radioactive decay can be used to determine the age of an object. If you know the number of radioactive nuclei with which an object started, the number of radioactive nuclei currently present, and the half-life of the isotope, you can calculate the time since the object was created.
Suppose an object was created with 3.830×109 nuclei of a particular isotope that has a half-life of 1.22×103 yr. At this point in time 1.455×109 nuclei of this particular isotope remain. What is the age of the object?

Explanation / Answer

N(t) = No (1/2)t/T

No = 3.83 x 109

T = 1.22 x 103

t = age

N(t) = 1.455 x 109

1.455 x 109 = (3.83 x 109 ) (1/2)^(t/1220)

t = 1703.52 years

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse R
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.