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4 marksHalf-life

CSEC Physics · May/June 2011 · Paper 2 · Question 6(b)(i)

A gram of living plant material with Carbon-14 decays at a rate of about 16 disintegrations per minute. When the plant dies, the Carbon-14 decays, with a half-life of 5 600 years. A gram of the dead plant is found to decay at about 1 disintegration per minute.

Calculate the probable age of the plant.

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