Acarbon 14 dating test is performed on a fossil bone, and analysis finds that 15.5% of the original amount of carbon-14 is still present in the bone. estimate the age of the fossil bone. recall that carbon-14 decays according to the equation a= aeo^-0.000124ta.15,035 yearsb. 150 yearsc.1,500 yearsd.15,000 years

D. 15,000 years

You want to find t such that ...

... 0.155 = e^(-0.000124t)

Take the natural logarithm of both sides and divide by the coefficient of t.

... ln(0.155) = -0.000124t

... -1.86433/-0.000124 = t ≈ 15,034.9

Rounded to 3 significant figures, the age is 15,000 years.

Comment on aswer precision

Each of the supplied numbers (15.5% and -0.000124) have 3 significant digits. Their accuracy results in a possible age range from 14,949 years to 15,122 years. Certainly, the answer 15,035 years is not supported by this level of precision in the numbers. The answer is best rounded to 3 significant digits: 1.50×10^4 years, or 15,000 years.

c

step-by-step explanation: