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Question

Which of the following isotopes of carbon is/are used in carbon dating?

A
6C12 only
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B
6C13 only
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C
6C14 only
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D
6C12 and 6C14
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Solution

The correct option is C 6C14 only

6C14 only isotopes of carbon is/are used in carbon dating

Other Common Isotopes of Carbon. The other common isotope of carbon is carbon-13. Carbon-13 has 6 protons, just like other carbon isotopes, but it has 7 neutrons. It is not radioactive.

Basic Principles of Carbon Dating. Radiocarbon, or carbon 14, is an isotope of the element carbon that is unstable and weakly radioactive. The stable isotopes are carbon 12 and carbon 13. Carbon 14 is continually being formed in the upper atmosphere by the effect of cosmic ray neutrons on nitrogen 14 atoms. By far the most common isotope of carbon is carbon-12 (12C), which contains six neutrons in addition to its six protons. The next heaviest carbon isotope, carbon-13 (13C), has seven neutrons. Both 12C and 13C are called stable isotopes since they do not decay into other forms or elements over time.


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