BRAINCAKERadiocarbon dating
Cosmic rays knock out neutrons in the atmosphere which then collide with nitrogen to form radioactive Carbon-14. These are incorporated into living plants through uptake of carbon dioxide in photosynthesis.
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Key terms in this lesson
- Activity
- The number of nuclei in a radioactive sample that disintegrate per second, measured in becquerel.
- Half-life
- The average time taken for the activity, or the number of undecayed nuclei, of a radioactive isotope to decrease to half its initial value.
More in Radioactivity
- Radioactive Decay and Half-life
- Activity
- Radioactive Decay
- Decay Constant
- Argon dating
- Radioactive Tracers
- Thickness Monitoring and Engine Wear
- Power Sources
All 25 lessons in Radioactivity · All AQA A-level Physics topics