1.The remains of an old campfire are unearthed and it is found that there is only 80% as much radioactive carbon-14 in the charcoal samples from the campfire as there is in modern living trees. If the half-life of carbon- 14 is 5730 years, how long ago did the campfire burn?

3 answers

Po = Poe^kt

1/2 = e^5730k

Ln(1/2) = Lne^5730k

Ln(1/2) = 5730k

K = ln(1/2)/5730

Poe^ln(1/2)/5730 *t

.80P0 = Poe^ln(1/2)/5730 *t

.8 = e^ln(1/5)/5730 t

ln(.8) = ln(.5)/5730t lne

ln(.8) = ln(.5)/ 5730 t

t = 5730ln(.8)/ln(.5)
t=1844.65 years
found in an Egyptian pyramid contains 75% of its original carbon_14 which has about 5730 years as half-life.