Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Carbon-14 dating is a method used to determine the age of organic materials up to 50,000 years old. It relies on measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 remaining in an object.
Related terms
Radiocarbon Dating: Another term for carbon-14 dating.
Half-life: The time it takes for half of a radioactive substance (like carbon-14) to decay into its stable form.
Dendrochronology: A dating method that uses tree rings to determine the age of wooden objects.