radiocarbon

American  

[rey-dee-oh-kahr-buhn] / ˌreɪ di oʊˈkɑr bən /

noun

Chemistry.

1. Also called carbon 14.  a radioactive isotope of carbon with mass number 14 and a half-life of about 5730 years: widely used in the dating of organic materials.

2. any radioactive isotope of carbon.

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radiocarbon British  

/ ˌreɪdɪəʊˈkɑːbən /

noun

1. a radioactive isotope of carbon, esp carbon-14 See carbon

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radiocarbon Scientific  

/ rā′dē-ō-kär′bən /

1. A radioactive isotope of carbon, especially carbon 14. Other radiocarbons include carbon 10, carbon 11, carbon 15, and carbon 16.

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Etymology

Origin of radiocarbon

First recorded in 1935–40; radio- + carbon

Example Sentences

Scientists' latest discovery is based on DNA analysis of the skeleton, which has been radiocarbon dated to between 129 and 311 AD.

From BBC

The radiocarbon ages for the Santorini event were markedly older than the first radiocarbon dates obtained for artifacts associated with Pharaoh Ahmose and those from the 17th to early 18th Dynasty.

From Science Daily

To avoid disturbing the sites further, the team relied on radiocarbon dating of clam shells and deer bones that were originally collected some 50 years ago.

From Science Daily

The group included anthropologists, geneticists, an archaeologist, an archaeobotanist, stable isotope specialists, radiocarbon experts, and dentists.

From Science Daily

Researchers examined numerous hippopotamus fossils using both genetic and radiocarbon dating methods.

From Science Daily