Relative Dating

Front

What is Relative Dating?

Back

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

Front

What does the Law of Superposition state?

Back

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

Front

What is the Law of Crosscutting?

Back

The Law of Crosscutting states that a geological feature (like a fault or intrusion) that cuts through another feature is younger than the feature it cuts.

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

How can you determine which layer is older?

Back

You can determine which layer is older by using the Law of Superposition or by identifying features that cut through the layers.

Front

What is an unconformity?

Back

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

Front

What is the significance of fossils in relative dating?

Back

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

Front

What does it mean if a fault is younger than the rocks it cuts through?

Back

It means that the fault occurred after the formation of the rocks it intersects, indicating a sequence of geological events.

Front

What is the difference between relative dating and absolute dating?

Back

Relative dating determines the order of events without providing specific ages, while absolute dating provides a numerical age for rocks and fossils.

Front

What is a geological time scale?

Back

A geological time scale is a system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time.