The carbon in a certain ancient ax- handle is only 1/8-- one- eighth-- as radioactive as the carbon in living wood. The half- life of ¹⁴C is 6000 years. From these facts we can conclude that A) the ax- handle is about 48,000 years old. B) the ax- handle is about 12,000 years old. C) the ax- handle was made from an unusual type of wood that was less radioactive than normal wood. D) the ax- handle is about 18,000 years old. E) the natural carbon- radioactivity at the time the ax- handle was made was only one- eighth of what it is today.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ax-handle is 1/8 as radioactive, which means it has gone through 3 half-lives (since (1/2)^3 = 1/8). Each half-life is 6000 years, so 3 half-lives is 18,000 years.

The Carbon in a Certain Ancient Ax- Handle Is Only