Question

An element may have more than one isotope. Isotopes have different atomic weights, but exhibit the same chemical behavior. Carbon-14 is an unstable isotope of carbon that decays very slowly. Compared to the common, stable carbon-12 isotope, carbon-14 has two additional _______.

1) electrons
2) neutrons
3) protons
4) ions

Answer 1

Carbon-14 has two additional neutrons compared to carbon-12, which makes it a radioactive isotope and leads to its use in carbon-14 dating.

Step-by-step explanation:

Isotopes are different forms of the same element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons. In the case of carbon, the most common isotope is carbon-12, which has six protons and six neutrons. Carbon-14, on the other hand, has two additional neutrons compared to carbon-12, giving it a total of eight neutrons.

Both carbon-12 and carbon-14 have six protons, which define them as carbon; however, the difference in neutron count leads to a difference in their atomic masses and results in carbon-14 being a radioactive isotope or radioisotope. This means that carbon-14 is unstable and slowly undergoes radioactive decay, which is utilized in methods like carbon-14 dating in archaeology.

Answer to the question: Compared to the common, stable carbon-12 isotope, carbon-14 has two additional neutrons. Therefore, the correct option is 2) neutrons.