chlorine 36: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “chlorine 36” mean?
A radioactive isotope of the element chlorine, with an atomic mass of 36.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A radioactive isotope of the element chlorine, with an atomic mass of 36.
A cosmogenic nuclide used as a tracer in environmental science, geology, and hydrology to date water and ice, and to study subsurface processes over long timescales (up to millions of years).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in usage. Spelling follows regional conventions for 'chlorine' itself.
Connotations
Purely scientific; no cultural or regional connotations.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language, identical and very low in both varieties, confined to specialist literature.
Grammar
How to Use “chlorine 36” in a Sentence
The [noun] contains chlorine-36.Scientists use chlorine-36 to [verb]...The ratio of chlorine-36 to stable chlorine indicates...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chlorine 36” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The chlorine-36 data was crucial.
- A chlorine-36 dating method.
American English
- The chlorine-36 data were crucial.
- A chlorine-36 dating method.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in research papers on geochronology, hydrogeology, and Quaternary science.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Core term in nuclear methods for earth sciences; used in methodologies for dating and tracing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chlorine 36”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chlorine 36”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chlorine 36”
- Omitting the hyphen: 'chlorine 36' is less standard than 'chlorine-36'.
- Pronouncing '36' as 'thirty-six' in the middle of a sentence where 'three six' might be clearer in technical speech.
- Using it as a countable noun without an article (e.g., 'a chlorine-36' is incorrect; it's an uncountable substance).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In the trace amounts used for scientific dating, it poses no significant hazard. Like any radioactive material, concentrated amounts would require careful handling.
It is primarily produced naturally in the atmosphere by cosmic ray spallation of argon-40, and in rocks at the Earth's surface by cosmic ray interactions with calcium and potassium.
Approximately 301,000 years, making it suitable for dating events in the range of a hundred thousand to a million years.
Indirectly. It is used as a tracer in hydrological studies, including understanding the mixing and age of water masses, but not for direct dating of the ocean itself.
A radioactive isotope of the element chlorine, with an atomic mass of 36.
Chlorine 36 is usually technical/scientific in register.
Chlorine 36: in British English it is pronounced /ˈklɔːriːn ˈθɜːti sɪks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈklɔːriːn ˈθɜːrti sɪks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a swimming pool (chlorine) with a radioactive sign (36) to remember it's a specific, radioactive form of chlorine used by scientists.
Conceptual Metaphor
A NATURAL CLOCK (used to measure the age of water and rocks).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is chlorine-36 primarily used?