Radiocarbon dating is a method used by scientists to estimate the age of ancient objects
Chapter 6, Problem 6.7.16(choose chapter or problem)
Radiocarbon dating is a method used by scientists to estimate the age of ancient objects that were once living matter, such as bone, leather, wood, or paper. Allof these contain carbon, a proportion of which is carbon-14,a radioactive isotope that is continuouslybeing formed in the upper atmosphere. Since livingorganisms take up radioactive carbon along with othercarbon atoms, the ratio between the two forms remainsconstant. However, when an organism dies,the carbon-14 in its cells decays and is not replaced.Carbon-14 has a known half-life of 5730 years, so bymeasuring the concentration of carbon-14 in anobject, scientists can determine its approximate age.One of the most successful applications of radiocarbondating has been to determine the age of theStonehenge monument in England (Figure 6.25).Samples taken from the remains of wooden posts werefound to have a concentration of carbon-14 that was45% of that found in living material. What is theestimated age of these posts?
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