E.8.7 Relative Age Dating

Front

How do most fossils form?

Back

A dead organism becomes buried in sediment.

Front

What type of rock is formed by smaller pieces of rock that settled at the bottom of a lake millions of years ago?

Back

Sedimentary rock.

Front

Which layer is OLDER? Layer M or Intrusion P?

Back

Layer M.

Front

Which layer is OLDER? Intrusion M or Layer D?

Back

Layer D.

Front

Which rock layer in the diagram seems to be the oldest?

Back

Layer A.

Front

What is relative age dating?

Back

A method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another.

Front

What is the principle of superposition?

Back

In undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.

Front

What is an intrusion in geology?

Back

An intrusion is a body of igneous rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies beneath the Earth's surface.

Front

What is the significance of index fossils?

Back

Index fossils are used to identify and date the layers of rock in which they are found, indicating a specific time period.

Front

What does it mean if a rock layer is 'unconformable'?

Back

It means there is a gap in the geological record, indicating that erosion or non-deposition occurred.