Calculating the Age of a Mummy Shroud Using Carbon Dating - Step by Step Guide

  • Thread starter Thread starter sanjeevkaushal
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Carbon
AI Thread Summary
To calculate the age of the mummy shroud using carbon dating, the initial carbon activity (Co) is 15.2 dpm/g, while the current activity (C) is 8.9 dpm/g. The half-life of carbon-14 (T) is 5730 years. The formula to use is C = Co * (0.5)^(t/T), where t is the age of the shroud. By rearranging and solving this equation, the age of the shroud can be determined.
sanjeevkaushal
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Carbon dating - urgent please help

Homework Statement


a) The cloth shroud of a mummy is found to have a 14C activity of 8.9 dpm g of carbon as opposed to living organisms which undergo 15.2 dpm g of carbon. Given the half –life of 14C is 5730 years what was the age of the shroud in years?


Homework Equations


Dont kno which 1 to use and if did don't kno how to :(


The Attempt at a Solution



Please help as much as possible as I am not to good at radiocarbon dating, thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
In present day, Co is 15.2, which is what it was when the shroud was first made. This value decreases by half every 5730 years, so the formula to use would be C_{o} (.5)^\frac{t}{T} = Cwhere Co is the initial amount of carbon, C is the amount of carbon after t years, and T is the half life.
 
Last edited:
Can you please avoid double posting?!?
 
Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'
TL;DR Summary: I would like to know the voltmeter readings on the two resistors separately in the picture in the following cases , When one of the keys is closed When both of them are opened (Knowing that the battery has negligible internal resistance) My thoughts for the first case , one of them must be 12 volt while the other is 0 The second case we'll I think both voltmeter readings should be 12 volt since they are both parallel to the battery and they involve the key within what the...
Thread 'Correct statement about a reservoir with an outlet pipe'
The answer to this question is statements (ii) and (iv) are correct. (i) This is FALSE because the speed of water in the tap is greater than speed at the water surface (ii) I don't even understand this statement. What does the "seal" part have to do with water flowing out? Won't the water still flow out through the tap until the tank is empty whether the reservoir is sealed or not? (iii) In my opinion, this statement would be correct. Increasing the gravitational potential energy of the...
Back
Top