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Vallabh sunil jagtap
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Posted 2 year ago
Vallabh sunil jagtap 
which of the following causes the production of Radiocarbon in the atmosphere?
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Shardul Rajendra Nalavade
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Posted 2 year ago Shardul Rajendra Nalavade

Radiocarbon is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of carbon. Atoms of radiocarbon behave in the same way as any other carbon atoms except that they weigh slightly more and, after an average of some 5000 years decay to nitrogen. Because radiocarbon is a radioactive isotope, it only exists on the earth because it has been formed recently. We know from nuclear physics that several possible reactions can result in radiocarbon. These all involve neutrons. The details are not important in understanding radiocarbon but the possible reactions are: Reaction Q-value Cross section Neutron energy 14N(n,p)14C 1.81+/-0.05 b thermal 16O(n,3He)14C -14.6MeV 20+/-2 mb 40-160MeV 16O(n,pd)14C -20.1MeV 16O(n,n2p)14C -22.3MeV