C (the period of time after which half of a given sample will have decayed) is about 5,730 years, the oldest dates that can be reliably measured by this process date to approximately 50,000 years ago, although special preparation methods occasionally make accurate analysis of older samples possible.

For which time span can you use radiocarbon dating?

between 100 and 50,000 years For young organic materials, the carbon-14 (radiocarbon) method is used. The effective dating range of the carbon-14 method is between 100 and 50,000 years.

What is a major limitation of radiocarbon dating?

Challenges of the method The method has limitations: Samples can be contaminated by other carbon-containing materials, like the soil that surrounds some bones or labels that contain animal-based glue. Inorganic materials cant be dated using radiocarbon analysis, and the method can be prohibitively expensive.