Question

A sample of wood is found to contain 1/8 as much C-14 as is present in the wood of a living tree. What is the approximate age, in years, of this sample of wood?

Answer 1

Approximately 17,100 years or three half lives.

Explanation:

`1/8 = 1/2 xx 1/2 xx 1/2`

A sample of wood with one eight of the C 14 of the present wood has experienced three half lives.

One half life of C 14 has an approximate value of 5,700 years.

To find the approximate age multiple the half life by the number of half lives.

`5,700 xx 3 = 17,100`