A team of scientist tried to estimate the age of an ice-core sample from Antarti
ID: 2109078 • Letter: A
Question
A team of scientist tried to estimate the age of an ice-core sample from Antartica using carbon dioxide 14CO2 gas trapped in bubbles in the ice-core. Considering the fact that 12C is stable while 14C decay with the half-life of 5.73x10^3 years, they can estimate the age of the ice-core by measuring the ratio Rc=14C/12C. Suppose this ratio is constant Rc,standard in the atmosphere all the time. If the scientist found this ratio in the air trapped in the ice-core is 0.125 times Rc,standard, what is the age of the ice-core sample?
A. 5.7x10^3 years
B. 6.7x10^3 years
C. 7.8x10^3 years
D. 1.7x10^4 years
SHOW WORK!!
Explanation / Answer
0.125 = 0.5^(t/5.73e3) ==> Log0.125 = (t/5.73e3) Log0.5 ==> t = 17190 years
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