Relative Dating

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

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

The oldest rock layer is usually found at the bottom of a sequence of layers.

The youngest layer is typically found at the top of a sequence of layers.

An example of relative age is saying 'You are older than your sibling'.

You can determine the order of rock layers by using the Law of Superposition and examining the sequence of layers.

Fossils help in relative dating by providing clues about the age of the rock layers in which they are found.

An unconformity is a gap in the geological record that represents a period of erosion or non-deposition.

Geologists use index fossils to identify and date the relative ages of rock layers.

Relative age is the age of a rock layer compared to other layers, while absolute age is the actual age of the rock layer in years.