Radioactive Decay as a Measure of Age

Atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, but the number of neutrons present can vary. Atoms of the same element having different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes.

Let’s take a look at the three main isotopes of carbon: carbon 12, carbon 13, and carbon 14. All of these isotopes have six protons. However, they differ in the number of neutrons. Carbon 12 has six, carbon 13 has seven, and carbon 14 has eight.

Among them, carbon 14 is unstable, meaning it undergoes a process called radioactive decay.

During this process, the original carbon 14 atom, known as the parent isotope, decays into a stable nitrogen 14 atom, called the daughter isotope. This transformation releases a high-energy particle known as a beta particle.

Radioactive decay occurs at a steady rate, measured by a property called half-life. The half-life is the amount of time required for half of the parent isotopes in a radioactive substance to decay into daughter isotopes. Carbon 14 has a half-life of 5,730 years.