The skeleton of a mamoth was recently recovered from a permafrost mine in the United States. Analysis of the elements in the mammoth showed 1/32th of the expected levels of carbon-14 isotope. If the half life of carbon-14 may be considered to be 5730 years, how many years ago did this mammoth exist?
Correct answer: D. 28,650 years
- A. 5,730 years
- B. 11,460 years
- C. 32,300 years
- D. 28,650 years
Explanation
Half-life is the amount of time required for a substance to decrease to half its initial value. Carbon-14 must have undergone 5 half-lives to reach the 1/32 level. Hence, 5 x 5730 years have passed since the mammoth lived. 5 x 5730= 28650
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Scientific reasoning evaluates hypotheses through observations, variables, controls, measurements and experimental results. Questions involve identifying independent and dependent variables, recognising a fair test, interpreting tables or graphs, distinguishing evidence from opinion, and deciding whether data supports, rejects or leaves a hypothesis unresolved.
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