radiokarbonipitoisuus

Radiokarbonipitoisuus, also known as radiocarbon dating, is a scientific method used to determine the age of organic materials. It is based on the principle that the isotope carbon-14 (14C) is present in all living organisms and decays at a known rate. When an organism dies, it stops taking in carbon-14, and the amount present begins to decrease through radioactive decay. By measuring the remaining 14C in a sample and comparing it to the known decay rate, scientists can estimate the time since the organism's death.

The method is particularly useful for dating archaeological artifacts, geological formations, and other organic materials that are up to about 50,000 years old. It is less reliable for older samples due to the very low levels of 14C present. The technique was developed in the 1940s and has since become a fundamental tool in various scientific disciplines, including archaeology, geology, and environmental science.