You are given a worked wooden item from an archaeological dig believed to date t

Question

You are given a worked wooden item from an archaeological dig believed to date to during the last glaciation. As such, the artifact would be another peice of evience in favor of the hypothesis that north america was settled prior to the end of the last glaciation. You analyse the artifact and find that it has a specific activity of 2.2 dpm/g. How old is the artifact?

Note: Half life of carbon-14 is 5730 years with A0 of 15,3dmp/g

a. 8268 years

b. 16,000 years

c. 11,000 years

d. 1189 years

Thanks!

Explanation / Answer

K = 0.693/t1/2

   = 0.693/5730 = 0.000121years-1

K = 2.303/t log[A0]/[A]

0.000121 = 2.303/t log15.3/2.2

t               = 2.303*0.8422/0.000121

               = 16029years

b. 16,000 years >>>> answer

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