Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 ± 40 years—i.e., half the amount of the radioisotope present at any given time will undergo spontaneous disintegration during the succeeding 5,730 years.

How long is carbon 14 effective for dating?

Because the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,700 years, it is only reliable for dating objects up to about 60,000 years old.

What does the half-life of carbon 14 mean?

5,730 years The Concept of a Half Life The time it takes for 14C to radioactively decay is described by its half-life. 14. C has a half-life of 5,730 years. In other words, after 5,730 years, only half of the original amount of 14C remains in a sample of organic material.

What is the half-life of 14 C carbon using for carbon dating?

approximately 5700 years The half-life for 14C is approximately 5700 years, therefore the 14C isotope is only useful for dating fossils up to about 50,000 years old. Fossils older than 50,000 years may have an undetectable amount of 14C. For older fossils, an isotope with a longer half-life should be used.

What order is the half-life of carbon 14?

5730 ± 30 years The halflife of carbon 14 is 5730 ± 30 years, and the method of dating lies in trying to determine how much carbon 14 (the radioactive isotope of carbon) is present in the artifact and comparing it to levels currently present in the atmosphere.