Radioactive carbon, or C-14, is used to date fossil remains. When C-14 decays, as seen in the nuclear equation, it produces what nuclide of nitrogen? A) N-7 B) N-13 C) N-14 D) N-15

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Physics

Johnathan

29 August, 17:31

Radioactive carbon, or C-14, is used to date fossil remains. When C-14 decays, as seen in the nuclear equation, it produces what nuclide of nitrogen? A) N-7 B) N-13 C) N-14 D) N-15

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Answers (1)

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Hadassah Leon · Answer 1

The reaction of radiodecay of carbon C-14 is

C-14 - - > N-14 + e - + (ve)

where e - is an electron and (ve) is an electron-type antineutrino.

Basically, when the carbon nucleus (atomic number: 6, mass number: 14) decays, a neutron of the nucleus converts into a proton (therefore, the mass number remains the same, 14, but the atomic number increases by 1, therefore it becomes nitrogen) and releases an electron-antineutrino pair.

So, the correct answer is C), N-14.