Carbon-14 is often used for carbon dating, where scientists measure the rate of carbon-14 decay to determine the age of items. Carbon-14 contains six protons and eight neutrons. During the process of carbon-14 decay, one of its eight neutrons becomes a proton and an electron is emitted. Which of the following is the BEST explanation of what has occurred?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During carbon-14 decay, a neutron becomes a proton and an electron is emitted, resulting in the atomic number (number of protons) increasing by one. This means the resulting atom is no longer carbon-14, but has instead become a different element (in this case, nitrogen-14).

Carbon-14 Is Often Used for Carbon Dating, Where Scientists Measure