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Correct Answer: its atomic mass is 14
the number 14 in carbon-14 refers to its atomic mass. the atomic mass, also known as atomic weight, is essentially the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom’s nucleus. in the case of carbon-14, the atom consists of six protons and eight neutrons. six protons plus eight neutrons equals fourteen, which is why it is called carbon-14. this distinguishes it from the most common form of carbon, carbon-12, which consists of six protons and six neutrons.
carbon exists in different isotopic forms, which are atoms of the same element (carbon) with differing numbers of neutrons but the same number of protons. carbon-12 and carbon-13 are stable isotopes, while carbon-14 is unstable or radioactive, which means it decays over time. this property of carbon-14 undergoing radioactive decay is utilized in carbon-14 dating, a method used by scientists to determine the age of carbon-containing materials up to about 60,000 years old.
carbon-14 forms in the upper atmosphere through the interaction of nitrogen atoms with cosmic rays. living organisms absorb carbon dioxide from their environment, which includes a consistent ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12. once the organism dies, it no longer takes in carbon dioxide, and the carbon-14 it contains begins to decay at a known rate, measured in terms of its half-life. by measuring the remaining carbon-14 in a sample and comparing it to the expected level if the organism had still been alive, scientists can estimate the time since the organism's death.
therefore, the “14” in carbon-14 specifically signifies the atomic mass of the isotope, which is a crucial factor in its use for radiocarbon dating archaeological, geological, and hydrogeological samples. this method has been instrumental in fields such as archaeology, geology, and environmental science, providing a timeline for understanding historical and prehistorical events in relation to the age of the materials found.
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