Description
What is radio carbon and how is it produced???
Explanation & Answer
Radiocarbon is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of carbon. Atoms of radiocarbon behave in the same way as any other carbon atoms except that they weigh slightly more and, after an average of some 5000 years decay to nitrogen.
Because radiocarbon is a radioactive isotope, it only exists on the earth because it has been formed recently. We know from nuclear physics that several possible reactions can result in radiocarbon. These all involve neutrons.
The details are not important in understanding radiocarbon but the possible reactions are:
Reaction | Q-value | Cross section | Neutron energy |
---|---|---|---|
14N(n,p)14C | 1.81+/-0.05 b | thermal | |
16O(n,3He)14C | -14.6MeV | 20+/-2 mb | 40-160MeV |
16O(n,pd)14C | -20.1MeV | ||
16O(n,n2p)14C | -22.3MeV |
Review
Review
24/7 Homework Help
Stuck on a homework question? Our verified tutors can answer all questions, from basic math to advanced rocket science!
Similar Content
Related Tags
Steppenwolf
by Hermann Hesse
Into Thin Air
by Jon Krakauer
The Remains Of The Day
by Kazuo Ishiguro
Death Of A Salesmen
by Arthur Miller
Where the Crawdads Sing
by Delia Owens
Good Kids Bad City
by Kyle Swenson
The Lost Man
by Jane Harper
Gone with the Wind
by Margaret Mitchell
Fools Crow
by James Welch