This exercise uses the radioactive decay model.

A wooden artifact from an ancient tomb contains 80% of the carbon-14 that is present in living trees. How long ago was the artifact made? (The half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. Round your answer to the nearest whole number.)

I need the answer in yrs ...?

Question

Chemistry

Guest

11 December, 21:43

This exercise uses the radioactive decay model.

A wooden artifact from an ancient tomb contains 80% of the carbon-14 that is present in living trees. How long ago was the artifact made? (The half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. Round your answer to the nearest whole number.)

I need the answer in yrs ...?

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Isabell Fritz · Answer 1

For radioactive decay, we can relate current amount, initial amount, decay constant and time using:

N = No x exp (-λt)

Half-life = ln (2) / λ

λ = ln (2) / 5730

N/No = 80% = 0.8

0.8 = exp (-ln (2) / 5730 x t)

t = 1844 years