6 The radioactive isotope, C does not occur naturally but it is found at con- stant rate by the action of cosmic rays on the atmosphere. It is taken up by plants and animals and deposited in the body structure along with natural carbon, but this process stops at death. The charcoal from the fire pit of an ancient camp has an activity due to 1¹℃ of 12.9 disintegrations per minute, 4C per gram of carbon. If the percentage of 14C compared with normal Carbon in living trees is 1.35 × 10-10%, the decay constant is 3.92 × 10-¹⁰ s¯¹ and the atomic weight = 12.0, what is the age of the campsite? [University of Liverpool]

6 The radioactive isotope, C does not occur naturally but it is found at con- stant rate by the action of cosmic rays on the atmosphere. It is taken up by plants and animals and deposited in the body structure along with natural carbon, but this process stops at death. The charcoal from the fire pit of an ancient camp has an activity due to 1¹℃ of 12.9 disintegrations per minute, 4C per gram of carbon. If the percentage of 14C compared with normal Carbon in living trees is 1.35 × 10-10%, the decay constant is 3.92 × 10-¹⁰ s¯¹ and the atomic weight = 12.0, what is the age of the campsite? [University of Liverpool]