A living specimen in equilibrium with the atmosphere contains one atom of 14C (half- life = 5 730 yr) for every 7.7 x 101" stable carbon atoms. An archeological sample of wood (cellulose, C12H22011) contains 27 mg of carbon. When the sample is placed inside a shielded beta counter with 89% counting efficiency, 837 counts are accumulated in one week. Assuming that the cosmic-ray flux and the Earth's atmosphere have not changed appreciably since the sample was formed, find the age of the sample in the nearest year (1 yr ~ 3.1536 x 10ʻ s). Take Avogadro Number to be NAVG =6.026x1o23

Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
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ISBN:9781133104261
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
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Chapter30: Nuclear Physics
Section: Chapter Questions
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A living specimen in equilibrium with the atmosphere contains one atom of 14C (half-
life = 5 730 yr) for
every 7.7 x 1011 stable carbon atoms. An archeological sample of wood (cellulose,
C12H22011) contains 27
mg of carbon. When the sample is placed inside a shielded beta counter with 89%
counting efficiency,
837 counts are accumulated in one week. Assuming that the cosmic-ray flux and the
Earth's atmosphere
have not changed appreciably since the sample was formed, find the age of the
sample in the nearest year (1 yr ~ 3.1536 x 10' s). Take Avogadro Number to be
NAVG =6.026x1023
Transcribed Image Text:A living specimen in equilibrium with the atmosphere contains one atom of 14C (half- life = 5 730 yr) for every 7.7 x 1011 stable carbon atoms. An archeological sample of wood (cellulose, C12H22011) contains 27 mg of carbon. When the sample is placed inside a shielded beta counter with 89% counting efficiency, 837 counts are accumulated in one week. Assuming that the cosmic-ray flux and the Earth's atmosphere have not changed appreciably since the sample was formed, find the age of the sample in the nearest year (1 yr ~ 3.1536 x 10' s). Take Avogadro Number to be NAVG =6.026x1023
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