Sihle, an archaeologist from UWC finds an ancient wooden axe handle at an excavation site at Onderstepoort. He wants to determine the age of the axe handle. He takes a small sample of carbon from the axe handle and places it near a Geiger counter. The counter reads 5 counts/minute. He then takes the same mass of carbon from a living tree and finds that it has a count-rate of 40 counts/minute. a) How old is the axe handle? (assume the half-life of C-14 is about 6000 years) - choose answer below b) Explain your reasoning in 'Rationale O A. 18 000 years B. 12 000 years OC. 2000 years D. 6000 years

College Physics
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ISBN:9781305952300
Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
Chapter1: Units, Trigonometry. And Vectors
Section: Chapter Questions
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Sihle, an archaeologist from UWC finds an ancient wooden axe handle at an excavation site at Onderstepoort. He wants to
determine the age of the axe handle. He takes a small sample of carbon from the axe handle and places it near a Geiger
es
counter. The counter reads 5 counts/minute. He then takes the same mass of carbon from a living tree and finds that it has
a count-rate of 40 counts/minute. a) How old is the axe handle? (assume the half-life of C-14 is about 6000 years) - choose
tion
answer below b) Explain your reasoning in 'Rationale'
A. 18 000 years
B. 12 000 years
OC. 2000 years
D. 6000 years
Rationale:
Transcribed Image Text:Sihle, an archaeologist from UWC finds an ancient wooden axe handle at an excavation site at Onderstepoort. He wants to determine the age of the axe handle. He takes a small sample of carbon from the axe handle and places it near a Geiger es counter. The counter reads 5 counts/minute. He then takes the same mass of carbon from a living tree and finds that it has a count-rate of 40 counts/minute. a) How old is the axe handle? (assume the half-life of C-14 is about 6000 years) - choose tion answer below b) Explain your reasoning in 'Rationale' A. 18 000 years B. 12 000 years OC. 2000 years D. 6000 years Rationale:
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Write the expression of decay rate.

N=N0e-tt1/2

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