t = [ln (Nf/No) / (-0.693)] * t1/2
This was given as a sort of riddle. Anyone know?
2006-08-30 05:31:26 · 3 answers · asked by Michael F 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Well perhaps it is someone's idea of a joke, but I can't see where the joke is. The formula you have given is the formula used in Carbon Dating (the following is cut and pasted from link provided):
A formula used in carbon dating is:
t = [ln (Nf/No) / (-0.693)] * t1/2
where ln (Nf/No) = the natural logarithm of the percent carbon-14 in the sample compared to the percent carbon-14 in living tissue, and t1/2 = the half-life of carbon-14 = 5,700 years.
If you wanted to date a fossil, first you would determine the percent carbon-14 it contained compared to a living sample. Imagine your sample contained 20% of the carbon-14 found in a living plant leaf. Then,
t = [ln (0.2) / (-0.693)] * 5,700 years
t = [(-1.609) / (-0.693)] * 5,700 years
t = [2.322] * 5,700 years
t = 13,238 years old
2006-08-30 06:23:37 · answer #1 · answered by Krynne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Carbon dating is a bad idea. You should date people.
2006-09-03 04:08:12 · answer #2 · answered by margo345 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
no
2006-08-30 12:35:07 · answer #3 · answered by SamLove717 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋