What does U 238 decay to?

The half-life of uranium-238 is 4.5 billion years (opens in new tab). It decays into radium-226, which in turn decays into radon-222.

What is the rate constant k for the decay of carbon-14?

Question: What is the half-life for the first-order decay of carbon-14? The rate constant for the decay is 1.217×10−4year−1 1.217 × 10 − 4 y e a r − 1 .

What is the half-life for C 14 and U 238?

4.5 billion years
The half-life of the slightly unstable uranium-238 is 4.5 billion years. Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years.

What is the radioactive decay constant of uranium-238?

Uranium-238 decays by alpha emission with a half-life of (4.4683±0.0048)×109 yr (Jaffey et al., 1971) to 234Th, which in turn decays (half-life=24.1 d) by beta emission to 234Pa, which decays (half-life=6.7 h) by beta emission to 234U, which decays (half-life=245,250±490 yr; Cheng et al., 2000) by alpha emission to 230 …

What is the decay series of uranium-238?

For example, the decay chain that begins with Uranium-238 culminates in Lead-206, after forming intermediates such as Uranium-234, Thorium-230, Radium-226, and Radon-222. Also called the “decay series.”.

How do you find the decay rate of carbon-14?

We can use our our general model for exponential decay to calculate the amount of carbon at any given time using the equation, N (t) = N0e kt . Modeling the decay of 14C. Returning to our example of carbon, knowing that the half-life of 14C is 5700 years, we can use this to find the constant, k.

How does C14 decay to n14?

C decays by a process called beta decay. During this process, an atom of 14C decays into an atom of 14N, during which one of the neutrons in the carbon atom becomes a proton. This increases the number of protons in the atom by one, creating a nitrogen atom rather than a carbon atom.

How do you calculate decay rate?

In mathematics, exponential decay describes the process of reducing an amount by a consistent percentage rate over a period of time. It can be expressed by the formula y=a(1-b)x wherein y is the final amount, a is the original amount, b is the decay factor, and x is the amount of time that has passed.

Why is carbon-14 better than uranium-238?

Answer: Because the range of Carbon-14 is less spread out than Uranium-238, Carbon-14 might be more useful for younger fossils. Uranium-14 might be more useful for older fossils.

What is the role of carbon-14 and uranium-238 in absolute dating?

Carbon 14 can only be used to date fossils of a very recent age. Uranium 238 can only be used to date volcanic rocks of a very old age.