The radiocarbon dating calculator works out time elapsed and time yrs from the values you supply. Enter percentage of carbon-14 left, half life, time yrs2, and the calculator applies the standard relationship straight away, so you get the answer without working through the algebra yourself.
What Is the Radiocarbon Dating Calculator?
It is built around time elapsed, time yrs, and it works the same way whether you are checking a homework answer, confirming a colleague's figure, or working something out for yourself. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded anywhere.
How the Radiocarbon Dating Calculation Works
The steps are applied in order, so an output that depends on another output updates as soon as the underlying figures change.
The relationship between percentage of carbon-14 left, half life, time yrs2 and time elapsed, time yrs is fixed, so the same figures always give the same answer. That makes it a good cross-check: run the numbers a second way and see whether the result agrees.
Getting a Result You Can Trust
Start with a set of figures you are confident about. If one of the percentage of carbon-14 left or half life or time yrs2 values looks wrong, the result will be wrong too, because everything downstream is built on top of it. Work through the outputs one at a time and check that each one is the size you would expect before relying on the last figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out time elapsed?
Enter percentage of carbon-14 left, half life, time yrs2. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports time elapsed, time yrs.
What does the radiocarbon dating actually calculate?
It takes percentage of carbon-14 left and half life and time yrs2 and converts them into time elapsed, time yrs using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter percentage of carbon-14 left?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Why does a small change in one value move the answer so much?
That happens when an output depends on a ratio, because dividing by a small number magnifies any change in it. Check the units first, then check whether the value you entered is in the range the relationship was designed for.
Can I use this for a quick estimate as well as a precise answer?
Yes. The calculator is built for quick checks, so round your inputs to a sensible number of significant figures and the result will be just as useful. If you need more precision, keep the same method and add digits to the inputs rather than adjusting the method itself.