Multiple Choice
The half-life of arsenic-74 is about 18 days. If a sample initially contains 100.00 mg arsenic-74, what mass (in mg) would be left after 72 days?
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17. Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry
Radioactive Half-Life
Multiple Choice
Which isotope is most commonly used to date ancient remains (once-living organic materials) using radioactive half-life principles?
A
Carbon-14
B
Iodine-131
C
Uranium-238
D
Cobalt-60
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that radioactive dating of ancient remains involves measuring the decay of a radioactive isotope present in once-living materials.
Recall that Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope commonly found in organic materials and has a half-life suitable for dating remains up to about 50,000 years old.
Recognize that Iodine-131 and Cobalt-60 have much shorter half-lives, making them unsuitable for dating ancient remains.
Note that Uranium-238 has a very long half-life and is typically used to date rocks and minerals, not organic remains.
Conclude that Carbon-14 is the isotope most commonly used for dating ancient organic materials due to its appropriate half-life and presence in living organisms.
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