Rock Dating

Front

Radioactive dating

(radiometric dating)

Back

Ratio of parent and daughter isotopes present in rock are used to find the exact age

Front

Relative Age

Back

Age of rock is determined by comparing rock layers around the rock. As a result, only an estimated age is given.

Front

Relative dating uses this principle to determine the age

Back

Superposition

Front

Radioactive dating looks at this in the rock to determine the exact age

Back

Isotopes

Front

Radioactive dating is most useful for dating this type of rock

Back

Igneous

Front

All organisms contain this element

Back

Carbon

Front

Method used to calculate the exact age of a rock

Back

Radioactive dating

(Radiometric dating)

Front

Method used to calculate the estimated age of a rock

Back

Relative age dating

Front

This type of rock is not useful for radioactive dating due to the individual grains and minerals that make up the rock

Back

Sedimentary

Front

This principle assumes that if rocks are left undisturbed, younger layers will occur on top of older layers

Back

Superposition