Dating Methods in Geology

Front

What era is known as the age of reptiles?

Back

Mesozoic

Front

According to the law of superposition, where are the oldest fossils found?

Back

Near the bottom of the rock layers

Front

What does the principle of original horizontality state?

Back

Layers of sediment were originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity.

Front

What is the purpose of radiometric dating?

Back

To determine the absolute age of rocks.

Front

What technique is best for calculating the exact age of a rock sample?

Back

Radiometric dating.

Front

Define the Geologic Time Scale.

Back

A system that relates geological strata to time, used to describe the timing and relationships of events in Earth's history.

Front

What is relative dating?

Back

A method of determining the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another.

Front

What is absolute dating?

Back

A method used to determine the actual age of a rock or fossil, often using radiometric techniques.

Front

What is the law of superposition?

Back

In undisturbed sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.

Front

What is uniformitarianism?

Back

The principle that the same geological processes that operate today also operated in the past.