Carbon-14 Dating Method

Carbon-14 dating, also known as radiocarbon dating, is a technique used by scientists to determine the age of organic materials. This method relies on measuring the amount of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, remaining in a sample. Since carbon-14 decays at a predictable rate, the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 in a sample indicates its age. Living organisms constantly exchange carbon with their environment until death, after which no new carbon-14 is absorbed, and the existing isotope begins to decay. This method is widely used in archaeology, geology, and other fields to date artifacts, fossils, and geological formations up to about 50,000 years old.