CHEMISTRY CALCULATORS
Carbon Dating Calculator
Calculate the age of organic materials using carbon-14 dating. Perfect for students and researchers.
What is the Carbon Dating Calculator & How does it work?
Carbon-14 dating, also known as radiocarbon dating, is a method used to determine the age of an object containing organic material by measuring the amount of carbon-14 it contains. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon that decays over time at a known rate.
The half-life of carbon-14 is approximately 5,730 years. This means that after 5,730 years, half of the original amount of carbon-14 will have decayed into nitrogen-14. The age of a sample can be calculated using the formula:
The half-life of carbon-14 is approximately 5,730 years. This means that after 5,730 years, half of the original amount of carbon-14 will have decayed into nitrogen-14. The age of a sample can be calculated using the formula:
t = -\frac{5730}{\ln(2)} \times \ln\left(\frac{N_t}{N_0}\right)
t = age of the sample
N_t = amount of carbon-14 remaining in the sample
N_0 = initial amount of carbon-14 in the sample
N_t = amount of carbon-14 remaining in the sample
N_0 = initial amount of carbon-14 in the sample
Parameters
Result—
Results are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice.