Living matter has 1.3 × 10^-10 % of its carbon in the form of ¹⁴C which has a half-life of 5730 y.A mammoth bone has a 300-g sample of carbon separated from it,and the sample is found to have an activity of 20 decays per second.How old is the bone?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the bone can be determined using the decay rate of Carbon-14 and comparing the current activity to the expected activity of a living organism. Given the half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730 years and the activity has decreased to 20 decays per second, calculations based on the decay formula would indicate the bone is approximately 10,900 years old.

Living Matter Has 1