Relative Dating and Law of Superposition

Which layer is the oldest?

• A

• B

• C

• D

The _____________________ age of a rock is its age compared to the ages of other rocks and rock layers around it.

• Absolute

• Relative

• Common

• Actual

The law of superposition states that:

• In horizontal rock layers, the oldest rock is at the bottom and the youngest rock layer is at the top.

• In horizontal rock layers, the youngest rock is at the bottom and the oldest rock layer is at the top.

The _________________ age of a rock is the number of years since the rock formed.

• Relative

• Common

• Absolute

• Similar

Magma that pushes up into other rock and cools inside the Earth is called an:

• Intrusion

• Igneous

• Extrusion

• Fault

A break in Earth's crust is a

• Intrusion

• Fault

• Extrusion

• Unconformity

Lava that hardens on Earth’s surface and cools into a layer of rock is called an:

• Intrusion

• Extrusion

• Volcano

• Superposition

A _____________________ is naturally preserved remains or traces of animals or plants that lived in the geologic past.

• Fossil

• Dinosaur

• Sedimentary rock

• Extrusion

True or False: Fossils are found in sedimentary rocks.

• True

• False

An intrusions is always ____________________ than the rock it pushes (or cuts) into.

• Sometimes younger, sometimes older

• The same age as the other rock layers

• Younger

• Older