Relative Dating

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What is Relative Dating?

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Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another, without determining their exact age.

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What does the Law of Superposition state?

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The Law of Superposition states that in undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.

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What is an Unconformity?

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An unconformity is a surface where rock has eroded away, producing a break in the rock record.

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What is the Law of Crosscutting Relationships?

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The Law of Crosscutting Relationships states that a geological feature (like a fault or intrusion) is younger than any rock layer it cuts through.

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What is a Nonconformity?

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A nonconformity is a type of unconformity where sedimentary rock layers are deposited on top of eroded igneous or metamorphic rocks.

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What is a Disconformity?

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A disconformity is a type of unconformity that occurs between two sedimentary rock layers, indicating a period of erosion or non-deposition.

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What is an Angular Unconformity?

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An angular unconformity is formed when tilted or folded sedimentary rocks are eroded and then covered by younger, flat-lying sedimentary layers.

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What is the significance of Fossils in Relative Dating?

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Fossils help in relative dating by providing clues about the age of the rock layers in which they are found, as certain fossils are characteristic of specific time periods.

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What is an Intrusion?

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An intrusion is a body of igneous rock that forms when magma pushes into existing rock layers and solidifies.

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What is an Extrusion?

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An extrusion is the process where lava flows out onto the Earth's surface and solidifies, forming igneous rock.