Radio carbon-dating, also known as carbon-14 dating, is a method used to determine the age of artifacts or materials by analyzing the amount of carbon-14 present in them. The term "radio carbon-dating" is often replaced with synonyms such as radiocarbon dating, carbon dating, or C-14 dating. The process of carbon dating involves counting the number of carbon-14 atoms in a sample and comparing them to the stable isotope carbon-12. This method of dating is commonly used in archeology, geology, and other scientific fields to determine the age of fossils, rocks, and other materials up to about 50,000 years old. Other synonyms for radio carbon-dating include carbon-14 analysis or dating, radioisotope dating, and carbon dating technique.