Carbon-14,which is present in all living tissue,radioactively decays via a first-order process.A one-gram sample of wood taken from a living tree gives a rate for carbon-14 decay of 13.6 counts per minute.If the half-life for carbon-14 is 5720 years,how old is a wood sample that gives a rate for carbon-14 decay of 11.9 counts per minute?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the wood sample can be calculated using the first-order decay equation: ln(N0/N) = kt, where N0 is the initial rate (13.6 counts/min), N is the current rate (11.9 counts/min), k is the decay constant (calculated from the half-life), and t is the time. Solving for t gives approximately 1.1 × 10^3 years.

Carbon-14,which Is Present in All Living Tissue,radioactively Decays Via a First-Order