Radioactive Carbon Dating

Radioactive Carbon Dating is a scientific method used to measure the age of organic materials. It is based on the fact that the radioactive isotope of carbon, Carbon-14 (14C), is constantly decaying and its presence in an organic material can be used to determine its age. The amount of 14C present in the material is compared to the amount present in the atmosphere, and from this, the age of the material can be estimated. This method of age determination is used in a wide range of disciplines, such as archaeology, geology and ecology, to study the age of artifacts, fossils and other natural phenomena, and can even be used to trace the history of a species or species evolution.