Carbon 14 (14C) dating assumes that the carbon dioxide on Earth today has the same radioactive content as it did centuries ago. If this is true, the amount of 14C absorbed by a tree that grew several centuries ago should be the same as the amount of 14C absorbed by a tree growing today. A piece of ancient charcoal contains only 23% as much radioactive carbon as a piece of modern charcoal. How long ago was the tree burned to make the ancient charcoal given that the half-life of 14C is 5700 years? (Round your answer to the nearest whole number.)

Algebra & Trigonometry with Analytic Geometry
13th Edition
ISBN:9781133382119
Author:Swokowski
Publisher:Swokowski
Chapter5: Inverse, Exponential, And Logarithmic Functions
Section: Chapter Questions
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Carbon 14 (14C) dating assumes that the carbon dioxide on Earth today has the same radioactive content as it did centuries ago. If this is true, the amount of 14C absorbed by a tree that grew several centuries ago should be the same as the amount of 14C absorbed by a tree growing today. A piece of ancient charcoal contains only 23% as much radioactive carbon as a piece of modern charcoal. How long ago was the tree burned to make the ancient charcoal given that the half-life of 14C is 5700 years? (Round your answer to the nearest whole number.)

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