Radiokarbonizotópok

Radiokarbonizotópok refer to radioactive isotopes of carbon. The most significant naturally occurring radioactive isotope of carbon is carbon-14 (¹⁴C). Carbon-14 is continuously produced in the Earth's upper atmosphere when cosmic rays interact with nitrogen atoms. This ¹⁴C then combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis and subsequently enters the food chain as animals consume plants or other animals.

The key characteristic of ¹⁴C is its radioactivity, meaning it decays over time. The half-life of carbon-14 is approximately 5,730 years. This means that after 5,730 years, half of the original ¹⁴C in a sample will have decayed into nitrogen-14. This predictable decay rate forms the basis of radiocarbon dating, a widely used method for determining the age of organic materials. When an organism dies, it stops taking in new ¹⁴C from the environment. The ¹⁴C already present within its tissues then begins to decay. By measuring the ratio of ¹⁴C to stable carbon isotopes (¹²C and ¹³C) in a sample and knowing the half-life of ¹⁴C, scientists can calculate how long ago the organism died. This technique is invaluable in archaeology, paleontology, and geology for dating artifacts, fossils, and geological formations up to around 50,000 years old.

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