carbon 14

noun

1. radiocarbon ( def 1 ).

carbon 14

1. A naturally occurring radioactive isotope of carbon having six protons and eight neutrons in the nucleus. Carbon 14 is important in dating archaeological and biological remains by radiocarbon dating .

carbon 14

1. A radioactive isotope of carbon . A carbon 14 atom contains six protons , six electrons , and eight neutrons . Carbon 14 is produced when neutrons bombard atoms of nitrogen .

Notes

Carbon 14 is used in a common form of radioactive dating to determine the age of ancient objects.

Word History and Origins

Origin of carbon 14¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Or why does a single investigator get to choose which of several carbon-14 dates is best?

From The Daily Beast

The case of carbon-14 is an example of a permanent man-made modification of the environment.

From Project Gutenberg