14C denotes an __________ of the element __________.ANSWERion; carbonion; calciumisotope; calciumisotope; carbon

The correct completion for the statement "14C denotes an __________ of the element __________." is "isotope; carbon."

In this case, $^{14}\text{C}$ refers to a specific isotope of the element carbon. Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons (and thus the same chemical properties) but differ in the number of neutrons. Carbon-14 has six protons and eight neutrons, distinguishing it from the more common carbon-12 isotope, which has six protons and six neutrons.

This distinction plays a crucial role in various scientific disciplines. For instance, carbon-14 is widely used in radiocarbon dating, a method employed to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the amount of carbon-14 remaining in a specimen. The presence and ratio of isotopes provide valuable insights into historical climatic conditions, the age of archaeological artifacts, and even biological processes.

To encapsulate:

• 14C is an isotope of the element carbon.