13.8 The normal activity of living carbon-containing matter is found to be about 15 decays per minute for every gram of carbon. This activity arises from the small proportion of radioactive \({ }_{6}^{14} \mathrm{C}\) present with the stable carbon isotope \({ }_{6}^{12} \mathrm{C}\). When the organism is dead, its interaction with the atmosphere (which maintains the above equilibrium activity) ceases and its activity begins to drop. From the known half-life (5730 years) of \({ }_{6}^{14} \mathrm{C}\), and the measured activity, the age of the specimen can be approximately estimated. This is the principle of \({ }_{6}^{14} \mathrm{C}\) dating used in archaeology. Suppose a specimen from Mohenjodaro gives an activity of 9 decays per minute per gram of carbon. Estimate the approximate age of the Indus-Valley civilisation.

Hint: Activity at any time t is given by, \(\frac{\mathrm{R}}{\mathrm{R}_{0}}=\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda t}\).
Step 1: Find the intial and final activities of the specimen.
Decay rate of living carbon-containing matter,
R = 15 decay/min
Let N be the number of radioactive atoms present in a normal carbon-containing matter.
Half-life of C614, T1/2= 5730 yeats
The decay rate of the specimen obtained from the Mohenjo-Daro site:
R' = 9 decays/min
Step 2: Find the age of the specimen.
Let N' be the number of radioactive atoms present in the specimen during the Mohenjo-Daro period.
Therefore, we can relate the decay constant, λ and time, t as:
\(\frac{\mathrm{N}}{\mathrm{N_o}}=\frac{R}{R_o}=e^{-\lambda t}\)
e-λt=915=35
-λt=loge35=-0.5108
t=0.5108λ
But λ=0.693T1/2=0.6935730
t=0.51080.6935730=4223.5 years
Hence, the approximate age of the Indus-Valley civilization is 4223.5 years.