Relative Age vs. Absolute Age

Front

What is the difference between relative age and absolute age?

Back

Relative age is the age of an object in comparison to another object, while absolute age is the actual age of an object, often determined through methods like radioactive dating.

Front

How is radioactive dating used to determine the absolute age of rocks?

Back

The percent of radioactive parent isotopes remaining in the rock is compared to the amount of stable daughter isotopes that are present.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What does the Principle of Superposition state?

Back

In an undisturbed sequence of rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer is at the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships?

Back

An igneous intrusion is always younger than the layers it cuts across.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Front

What does relative age dating determine?

Back

Relative age dating determines the age of one event in comparison with other events.

Front

What is an example of a method used to determine absolute age?

Back

Radioactive dating, which measures the decay of radioactive isotopes.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What is the significance of stable daughter isotopes in radioactive dating?

Back

Stable daughter isotopes are the products of the decay of parent isotopes and are used to calculate the age of the rock.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What is the Law of Inclusions?

Back

The Law of Inclusions states that any rock fragments included in another rock must be older than the rock that contains them.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is an unconformity in geology?

Back

An unconformity is a surface that represents a gap in the geological record, indicating that sediment was not deposited for a period of time.

Front

How do geologists use the concept of stratigraphy?

Back

Geologists use stratigraphy to study rock layers (strata) and their relationships to understand Earth's history.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4