Radioactive Decay and Dating Quiz

What is the term used to describe the predictable rate at which radioactive elements decay?

• Decay rate

• Half-life

• Radioactive period

• Decay constant

Which element does Carbon-14 decay into over time?

• Oxygen-16

• Boron-10

• Nitrogen-14

• Helium-4

How many years does it take for half of Carbon-14 to decay into Nitrogen-14?

• 4500 years

• 5700 years

• 6000 years

• 7000 years

In the woolly mammoth example, what happens to the amount of Carbon-14 after one half-life?

• It triples

• It doubles

• It remains the same

• It is reduced by half

After three half-lives, what percentage of the original Carbon-14 remains?

• 12.5%

• 50%

• 6.25%

• 25%

How many years ago did the Mastodon die if 2.4 half-lives of Carbon-14 have passed?

• 15,000 years

• 10,000 years

• 11,400 years

• 13,680 years

What is the half-life of Rubidium-87?

• 4.9 x 10^10 years

• 5.7 x 10^3 years

• 1.2 x 10^9 years

• 3.5 x 10^8 years

After four half-lives, what percentage of Rubidium-87 remains?

• 50%

• 25%

• 12.5%

• 6.25%

What is the daughter product of Rubidium-87 decay?

• Magnesium

• Potassium

• Calcium

• Strontium

Which of the following is NOT a use of radioactive decay?

• Dating organic materials

• Studying geological formations

• Determining the age of rocks

• Measuring the speed of light