How to find the age of boat (carbon dating)? please

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In summary, the conversation discusses the proportion of radioactive carbon-14 in living matter and its use in determining the age of ancient objects. Through calculations, the decay constant and number of carbon-14 atoms required to produce a specific activity are found. The remaining question is how to determine the initial amount of carbon-14 in order to accurately use its decay to calculate the age of an object.
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Tangeton
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Homework Statement


The carbon in living matter contains fixed proportion of the radioactive isotope carbon-14. The carbon-14 in 1.00g of living matter has an activity of 0.250Bq. The half life of carbon-14 is 5730 years.
(a) Calculate (i) The decay constant in s-1 (ii) the number of carbon-14 atoms required to produce an activity of 0.250Bq.
(b) When a plant dies the proportion of carbon-14 decreases due to radioactive decay. A 1.00g sample of carbon from an ancient boat has an activity of 0.0625Bq. Determine the age of the boat.

Homework Equations


A = yN
A = A0e-yt
A0 = yN0
A = A0e-yt

The Attempt at a Solution


I've worked out (a) (i) to be 2.48x10-12 and (ii) N = 1.01x1011

I don't know how to work out (iii) because I don't know how to work out N0 or A0. I found using A = yN --> N = A/y = 2.52x1010

How to find either A0 or N0 so that I can use A = A0e-yt or N = N = N0e-yt?
 
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  • #2
You do it using proportions.

i.e.
What fraction of the sample was C14 when it was new?
What fraction is it now?
 

1. What is carbon dating and how does it work?

Carbon dating is a method used to determine the age of organic materials, such as wood or bone. It works by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 present in the material and comparing it to the known rate of decay. The older the material, the less carbon-14 it will have, allowing scientists to estimate its age.

2. Can carbon dating be used to determine the age of a boat?

Yes, carbon dating can be used to determine the age of a boat as long as the boat contains organic materials, such as wood. The method is not effective for determining the age of materials that have not been alive, such as metal or plastic.

3. How accurate is carbon dating for determining the age of a boat?

The accuracy of carbon dating depends on several factors, including the quality of the sample and the amount of carbon-14 present. Generally, carbon dating is accurate to within a few hundred years for materials less than 50,000 years old. However, for older materials, the margin of error can be larger.

4. Are there any limitations to using carbon dating for determining the age of a boat?

Yes, there are several limitations to using carbon dating for determining the age of a boat. The method can only be used on organic materials, and it is not effective for materials that have been contaminated with more recent carbon. Additionally, carbon dating is not useful for dating materials older than 50,000 years, as the amount of carbon-14 becomes too small to accurately measure.

5. Are there any other methods for determining the age of a boat?

Yes, there are other methods for determining the age of a boat, such as dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) and thermoluminescence dating. These methods are often used in conjunction with carbon dating to provide a more accurate estimation of the age of the boat. Historical records and archaeological evidence can also be used to determine the age of a boat.

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