The isotope 40K can decay to either 40Ca or 40Ar; assume

Chapter , Problem 64

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The isotope 40K can decay to either 40Ca or 40Ar; assume both decays have a half-life of 1.26 " 109 y. The ratio of the Ca produced to the Ar produced is 8.54/1 ! 8.54. A sample originally had only 40K. It now has equal amounts of 40K and 40Ar; that is, the ratio of K to Ar is 1/1 ! 1. How old is the sample? (Hint: Work this like other radioactive-dating problems, except that this decay has two products.)

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