Nuclear Half Lives Review

Why is Carbon-14 NOT useful in dating rocks?

• It is does not have predictable decay rates

• Its half life is too short so there is not measurable organic material remaining

• It has a long half life

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

After the third half-life, how much of the sample is left?

• 1/2
• 1/3
• 1/16
• 1/8

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Earth elements decay and change into another element in a process called_____________.

• radiation

• isotope

• radioactive decay

• half-life

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NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Geologist use the time it takes for a radioactive isotope to decay to half its original mass called a___________.

• radioactive decay

• isotope

• half-life

• carbon dating

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

After the nucleus of a radioactive element undergoes changes, the element can transform into ...

•   (a)  a different isotope of the same element.
• (b) an entirely different element.
• Both (a) and (b)
• Neither (a) nor (b)

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

For which of the following problems would a scientist most likely use carbon-14? 

• to calculate the age of the Earth's oldest rocks
• to calculate the age of a piece of bone 
• to identify the elements that make up a rock 
• to identify the elements that make up a bone

The half life of a sample is 5 days. How many half lives have passed in a period of 15 days?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

What is the half life of this sample?

• 2 mins

• 3 mins

• 4 mins

• 4 hours

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

How old is this fossil after undergoing 4 half-lives?

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Which of the following is NOT a reason to use Carbon-14 in dating a mastodont bone?

• C-14 decays at a predictable rate

• The mastodont bone is less than 50,000 years old

• C-14 is used to date recent organic remains

• C-14 is used in medical procedures

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8