The analysis of tooth shrinkage by Loring Brace and colleagues at

Coroware

Coroware

Answered question

2021-11-15

The analysis of tooth shrinkage by
Loring Brace and colleagues at the University of Michigan’s Museum of Anthropology indicates that human tooth size is continuing to decrease and that the evolutionary process has not yet come to a halt. In northern Europeans, for example, tooth size reduction now has a rate of 1% per 1000 years. In about how many years will human teeth be 90% of their present size?

Answer & Explanation

Nicole Keller

Nicole Keller

Beginner2021-11-16Added 14 answers

Step 1
Consider the following:
Substitute y=0.99y0
Equation:
y=y0ekt
0.99y0=y0ekt
0.99=ekt
Substitute t=1000
0.99=e1000
Taking log on both sides:
ln(0.99)=ln(e1000k)
ln(0.99)=1000k
k=ln(0.99)1000
k=0.00001()
equation: y=y0e0.00001t
Step 2
According to given information:
y=0.90y0
Let t=T
Consider the equation, y=y0e0.00001T
0.90y0=y0e0.00001T
0.90=e0.00001T
ln(0.90)=0.00001T
T=ln(0.90)0.00001
T=10536.051
T10536 years
After 10536 years, human teeth will be 90% of their present size.

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