Question

A papyrus scroll has 90% of the initial 14C present in it today. How old is the scroll if the half-life for 14 C is 5730 years? O 8230 years O 41.5 years O 871 years O 18.0 years O 38,100 years

Answer 1

To determine the age of the papyrus scroll, we can use the concept of radioactive decay and the half-life of 14C.

The half-life of 14C is 5730 years, which means that after each 5730-year period, half of the 14C in a sample decays. Since the papyrus scroll has 90% of the initial 14C remaining, it means that 10% has decayed.

Let X be the number of half-lives that have passed. We can calculate X using the following equation:

(1/2)^X = 10%

Now, let's solve for X:

X = log(10%) / log(1/2)

X ≈ 3.32

So, approximately 3.32 half-lives have passed.

Now, we can calculate the age of the scroll:

Age = Number of half-lives * Half-life

Age = 3.32 * 5730 years ≈ 19000.6 years

Rounded to the nearest year, the age of the papyrus scroll is approximately 19,001 years.