Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5720 years and this is a first-order reaction.If a piece of wood has converted 75% of the carbon-14,then how old is it?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the wood can be determined using the half-life formula for first-order reactions. Since 75% of the carbon-14 has decayed, this means that the wood has gone through two half-lives (50% decay in the first half-life and an additional 25% in the second, totaling 75%). Two half-lives of carbon-14 (2 x 5720 years) equals 11440 years.

Carbon-14 Has a Half-Life of 5720 Years and This Is