Natural Isotopes
There are 3 naturally occurring isotopes of carbon: 12, 13, and 14. 12C and 13C are stable, occurring in a natural proportion of approximately 99:1. 14C is produced by thermal neutrons from cosmic radiation in the upper atmosphere, and is transported down to earth to be absorbed by living biological material. Isotopically the 14C constitutes a negligible part, but since it is radioactive with a half-life of 5700 years, it is radiometrically detectable. Since dead tissue doesn't absorb 14C, the amount of 14C is used for radiometric dating of biological material, among others within the field of archeology.
Read more about this topic: Carbon-16
Famous quotes containing the word natural:
“We are educated in the grossest ignorance, and no art omitted to stifle our natural reason; if some few get above their nurses’ instructions, our knowledge must rest concealed and be as useless to the world as gold in the mine.”
—Mary Wortley, Lady Montagu (1689–1762)