Racira Calculator

Carbon Dating Calculator

Carbon Dating Calculator

%
%
yr
Estimated Age of Sample
5,730 yr
1.00 half-lives elapsed · 50.0% of C-14 remains
Remaining
50.0%
Half-Lives
1.00
Decay Rate λ
1.21e-4
MeasurementValue
Carbon-14 Remaining50.00%
Initial Carbon-14100.00%
Half-Life Used5,730 years
Elapsed Half-Lives1.00 t½
Estimated Age5,730 years
Remaining Fraction0.5000 of original

Carbon-14 Decay Curve

Vertical dashed reference: your sample's remaining fraction (50.0%).

Summary Statistics
Age (Years)5,730
Half-Lives Elapsed1.00
Remaining C-1450.0%
Decay Rate (λ)1.210e-4 /yr
Remaining Fraction0.500
Standard Error (est.)± ~5% (lab-dependent)

About the Carbon Dating Calculator

Carbon dating estimates the age of organic material by measuring the radioactive decay of carbon-14, a process captured by the decay equation t = (ln(N₀ / N) ÷ ln 2) × t½ where N₀ is the initial isotope amount, N the amount remaining, and t½ the half-life (5,730 years).

What You Can Calculate

  • Estimated age of a sample from its remaining carbon-14.
  • How many half-lives have passed since the organism died.
  • How much carbon-14 remains at any given age.

Frequently Asked Questions

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