Relative and Absolute Dating

Lesson 12: Absolute and Relative Dating

Teresita B. Moreno [e-mail]

Competencies:

1. describe the different methods (relative and absolute dating) to

determine the age of stratified rocks;

2. differentiate relative from absolute dating through pictures
presented;

3. compare relative and absolute dating using comparison chart; and

4. appreciate the importance of absolute and relative dating of rocks to
society.

Who’s First

Given set of
pictures
arrange the
fossils from
youngest to
oldest.

1. What are your basis in arranging the fossils?

2. Why some fossils are no longer visible through

time?

Pre - Assessment

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the rocks follows the principle of superposition?

• Layer 1

• Layer 3

• Layer 4

• Layer 6

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the rocks shows the cross-cutting relationships?

• Layer 1

• Layer 3

• Layer 4

• Layer 6

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best indication of the relative age of a rock layer?

• the thickness of the layer
  

• the chemical make-up of the layer
  

• the distance of the layer on the surface
  

• the position of the layer compared to other layers
  

Multiple Choice

Where can you find the oldest rock in an undisturbed rock file?

• on the topmost
  

• at the bottom
  

• upper part
  

• lower part
  

Multiple Choice

Which of the following makes use of the position of rocks to determine its age?

• Absolute Dating
  

• Radioactive Dating
  

• Radiometric Dating
  

• Relative Dating
  

Multiple Choice

Which type of dating method can be used on rock layers by applying the Law

of Superposition?

• Absolute Dating

• Radioactive Dating

• Radiometric Dating

• Relative Dating

Multiple Choice

Which was the first method used to determine ages of rock and fossils?

• Relative Dating

• Absolute Dating

• Radioactive Dating

• Radiometric Dating

Multiple Choice

What method of Rock Dating is used in giving rocks an actual date?

• Absolute Dating

• Geological Dating

• Historical Dating

• Relative Dating

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a principle of Relative Dating?

• Principle of Half-life
  

• Principle of Layering
  

• Principle of Superposition
  

• Principle of Floral Succession
  

Multiple Choice

What method of Rock Dating is using stratigraphy method?

• Absolute Dating

• Geological Dating

• Historical Dating

• Relative Dating

How do Geologists Correlate Rock

Layers?

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

How will you describe the rocks in the illustrations?

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

What is/are the use/s of this layering to the geologists?

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

At which pile of rock can you find the oldest? youngest?

Justify your answer.

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

Can you determine the relative age of the rock based on

the layering? How about absolute age?

Activity: What’s in the Stack of Rock?

Look at the diagram of a rock layer. Focus on the sediment layer.

What does the thickness of each layer indicate?

RELATIVE AGE

Principle of Original Horizontality

Principle of Superposition

Principle of Crosscutting

Principle of of Faunal Succession

Principle of lateral continuity

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

Directions. Use the letters in the diagram below to determine the age of rocks
applying the method of relative dating. List the rock layers from youngest to the

oldest relative to age.

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

In the law of superposition, which layer is the
oldest?

Directions. Use the letters in the diagram below to determine the age of rocks
applying the method of relative dating. List the rock layers from youngest to the

oldest relative to age.

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

What is the relative age of igneous rock in
layer H? (younger or older)

Directions. Use the letters in the diagram below to determine the age of rocks
applying the method of relative dating. List the rock layers from youngest to the

oldest relative to age.

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

What is the youngest rock layer?

Directions. Use the letters in the diagram below to determine the age of rocks
applying the method of relative dating. List the rock layers from youngest to the

oldest relative to age.

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

What law/principle is represented by layer H as
it passes through layer M, F, B, and I?

Directions. Use the letters in the diagram below to determine the age of rocks
applying the method of relative dating. List the rock layers from youngest to the

oldest relative to age.

Activity: Who’s the Oldest?

Which rock layer is older, layer B or layer F?

Directions. Refer and analyze the diagram below to answer the

provided questions.

How many year?

How old was the

youngest rock layer?

Directions. Refer and analyze the diagram below to answer the

provided questions.

How many year?

How about the oldest

rock layer?

Directions. Refer and analyze the diagram below to answer the

provided questions.

How many year?

What method is used
in determining the age

of rocks and fossils

based on the diagram?

Absolute Age

- exact date
- radioactive elements decay
- has half-life or time for it to

decompose into half

- radioactive dating

Absolute Age

The length of half-life is a unique feature of each decay

process. The half-life of the uranium is 713 million
years. This means that if an igneous rock contained

1000 atoms of U-235 when it solidified:

After 713 million years, it would contain 500 atoms of
U-235 and 500 atoms of the daughter element for the
decay process, Pb-207.

Half-Life

​Activity

Activity 4: Relative and Absolute

Venn Diagram

ASSESSMENT

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT true about Relative Dating?

• quantitative method of dating
  

• principles to recognize the relative ages of rocks
  

• used to arrange geological events and the rocks they leave behind in sequence
  

• used stratigraphy method (oldest found at the bottom and youngest at the top)
  

Multiple Choice

Which type of dating method can be used on rock layers by applying the Law

of Superposition?

• Absolute Dating

• Relative Dating

• Radioactive Dating

• Radiometric Dating

Multiple Choice

What method of rock dating is used in giving rocks an actual date?

• Absolute Dating
  

• Geological Dating

• Historical Dating

• Relative Dating

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT principle of Relative Dating?

• Superposition

  
  

• Floral Succession

• Original Horizontality

• Cross-cutting Relationship
  

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements best describes the principle of horizontality?

• sediment usually accumulates in horizontal layers.

• sediment usually accumulates in tilted layers.

• sediment usually accumulates in alternating rocks.

• sediment usually accumulates in rounded pile.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best indication of the relative age of a rock layer?

• the thickness of the layer

• the chemical make-up of the layer

• the distance of the layer on the surface

  
  

• the position of the layer compared to other layers
  

Multiple Choice

Which of the following makes use of the position of rocks to determine its age?

• Relative Dating

• Absolute Dating

• Historical Dating

  
  

• Geological Dating
  

Multiple Choice

What method of rock dating is using stratigraphy method?

• Absolute Dating

• Geological Dating

  
  

• Historical Dating

• Relative Dating
  

REFLECTION

Open Ended

What is the importance of knowing aboslute and relative dating? How is it important to you as programming student?