The radioactivity due to carbon-14 measured in a piece of awooden casket from an

Question

The radioactivity due to carbon-14 measured in a piece of awooden casket from an ancient burial site was found to produce 20 counts per minute from agiven sample, whereas the same amount of carbon from a piece of living wood produced 160counts per minute. The half-life of carbon-14, a beta emitter, is 5730 years. Thus we wouldestimate the age of the artifact to be about A) 5,700 years. B) 11,500 years. C) 14,800 years. D) 17,200 years. E) 23,000 years. The radioactivity due to carbon-14 measured in a piece of awooden casket from an ancient burial site was found to produce 20 counts per minute from agiven sample, whereas the same amount of carbon from a piece of living wood produced 160counts per minute. The half-life of carbon-14, a beta emitter, is 5730 years. Thus we wouldestimate the age of the artifact to be about A) 5,700 years. B) 11,500 years. C) 14,800 years. D) 17,200 years. E) 23,000 years.

Explanation / Answer

the current count is only   20/160 = 1/8   of the original, so we know it has gone throughthree half lives (1/2 * 1/2 * 1/2 = 1/8) . So we estimate the age to be   3 * 5730 =   17200 years

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