Question: Potassiumargon (K-Ar) dating is based on the first order decay reaction of 40K which has ahalf-life of 1.210^9 (1.2 billion) years and is used to
Potassiumargon (K-Ar) dating is based on the first order decay reaction of 40K which has ahalf-life of 1.210^9 (1.2 billion) years and is used to determine the age at which original molten rock solidifies (trapping the resulting 40Ar which is formed by electron capture.) The Martian rover Curiosity can perform K-Ar dating and determined an average age of about 4.4 billion years. What fraction of the original 40K decayed during that time interval?
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