* Carbon-12 (¹²C): Has 6 protons and 6 neutrons. This is the most common isotope of carbon, making up about 98.9% of all carbon found naturally.
* Carbon-14 (¹⁴C): Has 6 protons and 8 neutrons. It is a radioactive isotope, meaning its nucleus is unstable and decays over time. This makes it useful for radiocarbon dating.
Here's a breakdown of the key differences:
| Feature | Carbon-12 (¹²C) | Carbon-14 (¹⁴C) |
|----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
| Number of protons | 6 | 6 |
| Number of neutrons | 6 | 8 |
| Atomic mass | 12 | 14 |
| Radioactive | No | Yes |
| Abundance | 98.9% | ~1 part per trillion |
| Half-life | Stable | 5,730 years |
In summary: Both carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon, meaning they have the same number of protons (atomic number) but differ in the number of neutrons. Carbon-14 is radioactive and decays over time, while carbon-12 is stable. This difference in their nuclear structure leads to their different uses in various fields.
