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Topic: I have NO clue  (Read 4622 times)

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Jill

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I have NO clue
« on: May 12, 2004, 01:47:03 PM »
living organisms contained 3200 atoms of carbon 14 at the time of its death.  AFter laying around for 28600 years how many atoms would be left in this sample?
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Re:I have NO clue
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2004, 01:51:17 PM »
The half life of carbon 14 is about 5700 years, meaning that after that amount of time there will be half the original amount of carbon 14.
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Jill

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Re:I have NO clue
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2004, 01:56:29 PM »
So I would divide 3200 atoms by half and get 1600 atoms, is that right.  Do I look in Nuclear chemistry for this answer?
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Re:I have NO clue
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2004, 02:00:37 PM »
You need to take into account that 28600 years have elapsed and not just 5700.
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Ashutosh

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Re:I have NO clue
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2005, 12:25:23 AM »
T=28660years
decay constant=0693/half life period=0.693/5700
decay constant=(2.303/T)*log(3200/N)
log(3200/N)=28660*.693/2.303/5700
3200/N=antilog(28660*.693/2.303/5700)
N=number of atoms remained after 28660 years
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