What is the carbon-14 dating equation?

1 Answer
Feb 29, 2016

(5730/-0.693)ln(N_t/N_0)

Explanation:

General formula for time t used in Carbon-14 dating is (5730/-0.693)ln(N_t/N_0).

If a fossil has say 25% of carbon-14 as compared to living sample than it is 11460 years old (as it has one-fourth carbon it is 5730*2=11460 years old).

As in the above example (N_t/N_0=0.25) and ln0.25=-1.386

t=(5730/-0.693)*(-1.386)=5730*2=11460 years.