Stability of a nucleus is dictated by the neutron/proton ratio. Too large or too small and the nucleus is unstable.
Radioactive
Carbon is non-radioactive excepting the isotope carbon-14.
Carbon 14 has two additional neutrons compared to other isotopes of carbon. Carbon 12 is the most prevalent form of carbon. Carbon 13 also exists. Carbon 14 is radioactive and will eventually break down into other atoms.
14 atoms of carbon.
Carbon-14, or radiocarbon, is a radioactive isotope of carbon with a nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
Carbon-14 is more reactive than carbon-12 because it is radioactive and undergoes radioactive decay. This makes carbon-14 more chemically active and likely to participate in reactions compared to stable carbon-12.
Carbon-14 is an example of radioactive dating.
Carbon-14 or 14C, which is a radioactive isotope of carbon, has a half life of 5,700 years.
Carbon -14 has extra two neutrons and is radioactive.
Carbon 14 is the isotope that is used for carbon dating.
Radioactive
Radioactive
It works, among other things, because:* Like any radioactive isotope, C-14 (the radioactive carbon used for this) decays at a constant (and known) rate. * C-14 is replenished in the atmosphere. * Carbon is absorbed by living beings; and when these die, no more carbon is ingested by them.
Carbon-14.
There are several radioactive forms of carbon. The most familiar, used in carbon dating, is carbon-14. All of the others have very short half-lives.Isotopes of carbon range from carbon-8 to carbon-22. Carbon-12 and carbon-13 are stable and non-radioactive. Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5730 years. The longest lived beyond that is carbon-11 at 20.3 minutes.
Scientists use carbon-14 radioactive dating to determine the age of organic materials because carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope that decays at a known rate over time. By measuring the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a sample, scientists can calculate how long it has been since the organism died, providing an accurate estimate of its age.
Carbon is non-radioactive excepting the isotope carbon-14.