Asked by gary
The half-life for the process 238 U --> 206 Pb is 4.5*10^9 yr. A mineral sample contains 66.0 mg of 238 U and 16.0 mg of 206Pb. What is the age of the mineral?
Answers
Answered by
DrBob222
mass U-238 originally is mass Pb x (238/206) = 16.0 x (206/238) = about 13.8 but you need to get a more accurate answer.
mass U-238 initially = 66 mg + 13.8 = about 80.
k = 0.693/t<sub>1/2</sub> - 0.693/4.5E9 = 1.5E-10(approx)
Substitute these values into the first order equation below and solve for t (in years).
ln(No/N) = kt
No = about 80
N = 66
k from above.
t = unknown.
All of the numbers above are estimates. You should go through and confirm everything.
mass U-238 initially = 66 mg + 13.8 = about 80.
k = 0.693/t<sub>1/2</sub> - 0.693/4.5E9 = 1.5E-10(approx)
Substitute these values into the first order equation below and solve for t (in years).
ln(No/N) = kt
No = about 80
N = 66
k from above.
t = unknown.
All of the numbers above are estimates. You should go through and confirm everything.
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