This is the time it takes for half of a quantity of any radioisotope to decay.

A) ¹²C
B) ¹⁴C
C) 5730 years
D) ¹⁴C to ¹²C ratio
E) half-life
F) decay

Half-Life

The time required for a quantity to reduce to half its initial value. In the context of radioactivity, it’s the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.

Radioisotope

Isotope with an unstable nucleus.

Radiometric Dating

A technique used to date materials such as rocks or carbon, by measuring the decay rate of radioactive isotopes contained within those materials.