Concept explainers
Introduction:
A fossil is any preserved evidence of an organism. Radiometric dating is used to measure the age of rock. It uses decay of radioactive isotopes to measure the age of rock. The method requires that the half- life of the isotope is known. The relative amounts of radioactive isotope and its decay product must also be known.
Answer to Problem 5STP
Correct answer:
The correct answer is option B. 18 years
Explanation of Solution
Explanation/justification for the correct answer:
Option B. 18 years − Half- life of an isotope is the amount of time it takes for half of the original isotope to decay. According to the given graph, 50 percent of isotope decays after 18 years. So the half- life of the isotope is 18 years. Hence, this is the correct option.
Explanation for incorrect answer:
Option A. 9 years− According to the given graph, 50 percent of isotope decays after 18 years. So the half- life of the isotope is 18 years. At 9 years more than 50 percent of isotope remains. Hence this is not the correct option.
Option C. 54 years- According to the given graph, 50 percent of isotope decays after 18 years. So the half- life of the isotope is 18 years. At 54 years about 90 percent of isotope has decayed. Hence this is not the correct option.
Option D. 90 years− According to the given graph, 50 percent of isotope decays after 18 years. So the half- life of the isotope is 18 years. At 90 years more than 90 percent of isotope has decayed. Hence this is not the correct option.
Chapter 14 Solutions
Biology Illinois Edition (Glencoe Science)
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