Question

Write short note on Carbon - 14 system.

Answer 1

All organic material has decaying Carbon-14 in it. However, plants and animals that are still alive constantly replace the supply of carbon in their systems and so the amount of Carbon-14 in the system stays almost constant. Once a plant or animal dies the Carbon is no longer being regenerated and so the Carbon-14 starts to decay. In this way, by measuring the amount of Carbon-14 in the body of a prehistoric animal or plant, a scientist can deduce when the plant or animal died

Answer 2

•Carbon 14 is also called radiocarbon.

•It is an isotope of an element carbon.

•It is highly unstable.

•It is weakly radioactive.

•The stable isotopes of carbon are carbon12and carbon 13.

•Carbon 14is generally formed due to the effect of cosmic ray neutrons on nitrogen 14 over the atmosphere.

•It is used for carbon dating and radiolabelling.

•Is is also used for breathe test in ulcer test due to helicobacter pylori.