An archeologist claims to have unearthed some papyrus scrolls that pre-date the

Question

An archeologist claims to have unearthed some papyrus scrolls that pre-date the dead sea scrolls by at least 200 years –
around 600 BCE. In your lab, working from a small sample of the scrolls, you find that the sample contains 0.80g of carbon,
and you measure the rate of carbon-14 decay to be 10 decays per minute. Do you verify or refute the archeologist’s claim?
[The fraction of all carbon atoms assumed to be carbon-14 when an organic tissue is still exchanging carbon with its
environment is 1.3×10^(–12).]

Explanation / Answer

The archeologist's claim can be refuted as the rate of carbon decay would vary depending upon the conditions.When a carbon decays,it releases 8 neutrons,and 6 protons.Small amount of decay of carbon cannot be detected easily.After decay,it rapidly reacts and spreads evenly in the atmosphere.

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