The 14C isotope is produced in the atmosphere when a cosmic ray,
in the form of a neutron, strikes a nitrogen nucleus, releasing a
proton. This isotope is incorporated by plants by absorbing 14CO2
in their photosynthesis process and its incorporation ends when it
dies. 14C has a half-life of 5720 years and its activity in living
plants is 16 disintegrations per minute per gram of carbon. A 0.402
g sample of charcoal, taken from a wheat plant excavated in Egypt,
gave an activity of 3 disintegrations per minute. How many years
ago did the plant live in Egypt?
theme: kinetics
The 14C isotope is produced in the atmosphere when a cosmic ray, in the form of a neutron, strikes a nitrogen nucleus, r
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