Carbon-14
Carbon-14
Carbon-14 (pronounced: /ˈkɑːrbən fɔːrˈtiːn/), also known as radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method pioneered by Willard Libby and colleagues (1949) to date archaeological, geological and hydrogeological samples.
Etymology
The term "Carbon-14" is derived from the element's name, Carbon, and the atomic number 14 which represents the number of protons and neutrons in the most common isotope.
Discovery
Carbon-14 was discovered on February 27, 1940, by Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley, California.
Uses
Carbon-14 is used in a common form of radioactive dating to determine the age of ancient artifacts and dinosaur bones. It is also used in the study of the environment to measure the carbon content in soil.
Related Terms
- Radiocarbon dating: A method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon (Carbon-14), a radioactive isotope of carbon.
- Isotope: Each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
- Radioactive decay: The process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Carbon-14
- Wikipedia's article - Carbon-14
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