The age of a sample can be determined using various dating methods, with radiocarbon dating being the most common.
Radiocarbon Dating
- Principle: This method relies on measuring the amount of carbon-14 (14C) present in the sample. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon that is found throughout the environment. As stated in the reference, radiocarbon dating is the most common method for determining the age of a sample by measuring the quantities of Carbon-14, a radioactive carbon isotope.
- How it works: Living organisms constantly replenish their carbon-14 supply from the environment. However, when an organism dies, it no longer takes in carbon, and the carbon-14 it contains begins to decay at a known rate. By measuring the remaining carbon-14, scientists can estimate how long ago the organism died.
- Application: Radiocarbon dating is primarily used for dating organic materials such as bones, wood, and textiles, and is effective for samples up to around 50,000 years old.
