Definition

Noun: A scientific method for determining the approximate age of an ancient object of organic origin by measuring the amount of carbon-14, a radioactive isotope, it contains. The technique relies on the predictable decay rate of carbon-14 and is considered reliable for dating materials up to approximately 40,000 years old.

Usage

"Carbon dating" is used as a non-count noun. It refers to the technique or process itself. * The museum used carbon dating to authenticate the age of the wooden artifact. * Carbon dating of the bones provided crucial evidence for the archaeologists' theory. * The reliability of carbon dating depends on several environmental factors.

Examples

• Carbon dating revealed that the prehistoric cave paintings were over 15,000 years old.
• Scientists performed carbon dating on the cloth from the burial site.
• A common application of carbon dating is in archaeology and geology.

Advanced Usage

• Radiocarbon dating is a more formal, technical synonym for "carbon dating."
• The phrase "carbon dating indicates/shows/suggests..." is commonly used to present findings.
  • Carbon dating indicates the sample is from the Neolithic period.

Variants and Related Words

• Radiocarbon dating (n): The full technical term for carbon dating.
• Carbon-14 (n): The specific radioactive isotope of carbon measured in this process.
• Radiometric dating (n): A broader category of dating techniques that includes carbon dating, using the decay rates of various radioactive elements.

Synonyms

• Radiocarbon dating
• Carbon-14 dating

Related Phrases

• Submit for carbon dating: To send a sample to a laboratory for analysis.
  • The team submitted the charcoal sample for carbon dating.
• Based on carbon dating: Used to describe conclusions drawn from the method.
  • The timeline was established based on carbon dating results.

Noun

1. a chemical analysis used to determine the age of organic materials based on their content of the radioisotope carbon-14; believed to be reliable up to 40,000 years