Concept explainers
Carbon Dating Refer to Example 2. A sample from a refuse deposit near the Strait of Magellan had 60% of the carbon-14 found in a contemporary living sample. How old was the sample?
Example 2: Carbon Dating
Carbon-14 is a radioactive form of carbon that is found in all living plants and animals. After a plant or animal dies, the carbon-14 disintegrates. Scientists determine the age of the remains by comparing its carbon-14 with the amount found in living plants and animals. The amount of carbon-14 present after t years is given by the exponential equation
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Calculus For The Life Sciences
- Botany A group of Tasmanian botanists have claimed that a Kings holly shrub, the only one of its species in the world, is also the oldest living plant. Using carbon-14 dating of charcoal found along with fossilized leaf fragments, they arrived at an age of 43,000 years for the plant, whose exact location in south-west Tasmania is being kept a secret. What percent of the original carbon-14 in the charcoal was present? Source: Science.arrow_forwardDepreciation Once a new car is driven away from the dealer, it begins to lose value. Each year, a car loses 10% of its value. This means that each year the value of a car is 90% of the previous year’s value. If a new car was purchased for $20,000, the value at the end of the first year would be $20000(0.90) and the value of the car after the end of the second year would be $20000(0.90)2. Complete the table shown below. What will be the value of the car at the end of the eighth year? Simplify the expression, to show the value in dollars.arrow_forward
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