A fossilized leaf contains 13% of its normal amount of carbon 14. How old is the fossil (to the nearest year)? Use 5600 years as the half-life of carbon 14

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Answer 1

13% remaining means you have 0.13 times the initial amount.

 

0.13A₀ = A₀(0.5)^t/5600,

 

with t in years.  Just solve for t.

 

log0.13 = (t/5600)log0.5

 

t = 5600 log0.13 / log0.5 years = ? years