Fossils: Relative and Absolute Dating

Formed when original material in skeletal remains are replaced by minerals 

• original remains 

• fossil

• permineralized remains 

Method by which order of events or age of rocks is determined by examining the position of rocks in a layer 

• relative dating

• absolute dating

• radiometric dating

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Remains, imprints or traces of once-living organisms

• water

• superposition

• fossils 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Correctly sequence the layers of rocks oldest to youngest 

• A,B,C,D

• D,C,B,A

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Correctly sequence the layers of rocks oldest to youngest 

• C,E,D,A,B

• C,E,D,A,B

• C,E, D,B,A

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Method by which a geologist can calculate the absolute age of the rock by knowing the half-life of an isotope 

• radiometric dating

• relative dating

• absolute dating

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Fossils of species that existed for  short periods and were widespread 

• trace fossils 

• index fossils 

• original remains 

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

• At the top of the rock layers

• Near the bottom of the rock layers

• In the middle of the rock layers

• Somewhat near the surface

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

If you found an index fossil in a layer of rock in Montana and a similar fossil in a layer of rock in Texas, you would know that:

• the fossils and rock layers are the same age

• the fossils from Montana are older

• the fossils from England are older

• none of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What is the principle that states that in undisturbed layers of rock, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top?

• Law of Superposition

• Principle of Original Horizontality

• Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships

• Law of Faunal Succession

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4