Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 y.A sample of wood has been recovered by an archaeologist.The sample is sent to a laboratory,where it is determined that the activity of the sample is 0.144 Bq/g.By comparing this activity with the activity of living organic matter,0.230 Bq/g,the scientist determines how old the wood sample is,or more precisely,when the tree that the sample came from died.How old is the sample of wood?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the wood sample can be determined using the formula for radioactive decay, which relates the remaining quantity of a substance to its half-life. The activity of the sample decreases as the substance decays over time. Given the initial activity (0.230 Bq/g) and the current activity (0.144 Bq/g), we can calculate the number of half-lives that have passed and then determine the age of the sample. The correct calculation leads to an age of approximately 3870 years, making choice A the correct answer.

Carbon-14 Has a Half-Life of 5730 Y