Question

2) Lifetime of C14 Atom The half-life time of Cl4 is 5568 years. If C14 dating was attempted for a piece of wood believed to be 2000 years old, what is the abundance of Cl4 in the wood compared to wood of the same kind which has been freshly cut from a tree?

Answer 1

Decay formula.

$\frac{N}{N_{0}}=( \frac{1}{2})^\frac{t}{T_{1/2}}$

Where N is abundance at any time t and N_{​​​​​​0} is abundance in the beginning.

t is the time of decay and T_{​​​​​​1/2 is the half life of the radioactive substance.}

​​​​​​T_{​​​​​1/2 = 5568 years and time of decay t=2000 years.}

_then $\frac{N}{N_{0}}=( \frac{1}{2})^\frac{2000}{5568}$

- =0.779 No

Or N=0.779 N_{​​​​​​0}