Carbon-14

Definition

Carbon-14 (C14) is a radioactive isotope of carbon with 6 protons and 8 neutrons. It's used for radiocarbon dating to determine the age of old artifacts or ancient remains.

Related terms

Radioactive Decay: The process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation.

Radiocarbon Dating: A method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.

Half-Life: The time required for half the atoms in a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay.