Relative Dating Pracitce

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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 principle states that in undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom?

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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 are at the top.

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What is an intrusion in geology?

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

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How can fossils be used in relative dating?

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Fossils can be used in relative dating by comparing the ages of different layers of rock that contain similar fossils, known as index fossils.

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What is an index fossil?

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An index fossil is a fossil that is used to define and identify a particular time period in the geological time scale.

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What does it mean if a rock layer is 'younger' than another?

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If a rock layer is 'younger' than another, it means that it was formed after the other layer, based on the principles of relative dating.

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What is the significance of a fault in rock layers?

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A fault is a break in the Earth's crust where rocks on either side have moved. It can indicate that the rocks were disturbed after they were formed.

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What is the difference between absolute dating and relative dating?

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Absolute dating determines the exact age of a rock or fossil, while relative dating places rocks and fossils in chronological order without exact dates.

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What is the principle of cross-cutting relationships?

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The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that a geological feature (like a fault or intrusion) that cuts through another feature is younger than the feature it cuts.

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What is a sedimentary rock?

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Sedimentary rock is formed from the accumulation and compaction of mineral and organic particles, often in layers.