While exploring a coal mine, scientists found plant fossils which had been preserved by an earthquake in the ceiling of the mine. Samples taken from one of the fossils had carbon-14 activities of 40.0 counts/min. A reference sample of the same size from a plant alive today has a carbon-14 activity of 160.0 counts/min. If carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years, what is the age of the plant fossil in years? age: years

General Chemistry - Standalone book (MindTap Course List)
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Chapter20: Nuclear Chemistry
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While exploring a coal mine, scientists found plant fossils which had been preserved by an earthquake in the ceiling of the
mine. Samples taken from one of the fossils had carbon-14 activities of 40.0 counts/min. A reference sample of the same size
from a plant alive today has a carbon-14 activity of 160.0 counts/min. If carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years, what is the
age of the plant fossil in years?
age:
years
Transcribed Image Text:While exploring a coal mine, scientists found plant fossils which had been preserved by an earthquake in the ceiling of the mine. Samples taken from one of the fossils had carbon-14 activities of 40.0 counts/min. A reference sample of the same size from a plant alive today has a carbon-14 activity of 160.0 counts/min. If carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years, what is the age of the plant fossil in years? age: years
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