A 1-gram sample of wood is taken from an ancient site.If the Carbon-14 activity of the sample is 30.5% that of present-day organic material,what is the age of the wood? (T_1/2 for ¹⁴C is 5 730 years) A)3,980 years B)6,800 years C)5,200 years D)9,820 years E)10,920 years

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the wood can be calculated using the formula for radioactive decay: N(t) = N0 * (1/2)^(t/T), where N(t) is the remaining quantity of the substance, N0 is the initial quantity, t is the time that has passed, and T is the half-life. Given that the activity is 30.5% of the original, we have 0.305 = (1/2)^(t/5730). Solving for t gives approximately 9,820 years.

A 1-Gram Sample of Wood Is Taken from an Ancient