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Relative Age Dating

Total questions: 25

Worksheet time: 25mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which layer is OLDER? Layer M or Intrusion P?

a)

Layer M

b)

Intrusion P

2.

Which layer is OLDER? Layer E or Fault H?

a)

Layer E

b)

Fault H

3.

Which layer is OLDER? Layer E or Intrusion A?

a)

Layer E

b)

Intrusion A

4.

What geologic principle(or law) is best displayed here?

a)

Superposition

b)

Original horizontality

c)

Cross-cutting relationships

d)

Inclusions

5.

How can we use the law of super position to determine the relative age of a fossil?

a)

fossils that are found in lower sedimentary rock layers are older than fossils that are found in layers that are above those layers

b)

the law of superposition can not be used for determining the age of fossils

c)

fossils that are found in layers of sedimentary rocks are usually older than the rock layers they are found in

d)

fossils that are found in upper layers of sedimentary rocks are the oldest of all fossils

6.

An estimated age based on rocks and fossils found above and below is:

a)

Neither of these

b)

Both

c)

absolute age

d)

relative age

7.

A sedimentary layer of sandstone contains inclusions of granite. Which rock is older, the sandstone or the granite

a)

the sandstone

b)

the granite

c)

both are the same age

d)

it's impossible to know

8.

Click the letter that is the youngest layer or event?

9.

What is the relative age of an igneous rock intrusion between domed layers of sedimentary rock?

a)

It is older than the sedimentary rock.

b)

It is younger than the sedimentary rock.

c)

It is the same age as the sedimentary rock.

10.

Click the letter that is the oldest layer or event?

11.

What geologic principle(or law) is best displayed here?

a)

Superposition

b)

Original horizontality

c)

Cross-cutting relationships

d)

Unconformities

12.

Used to determine whether an object is older or younger than other objects

a)

Superposition

b)

Relative Dating

c)

Fossil

d)

Unconformity

13.

Analyze the seashell found in the white layer.  Which statement is true of the rock layer that contains this fossil?

a)

It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.

b)

It is older than the layers below it.

c)

It is younger than the layers above it.

d)

It is older than the layers above it.

14.

What are the relative ages of the features in order from oldest to youngest?

a)

Limestone, Basalt, Fault, Siltstone

b)

Siltstone, Fault, Basalt, Limestone

c)

Limestone, Fault, Basalt, Siltstone

d)

Limestone, Siltstone, Fault, Basalt

15.

The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?

a)

The absolute age of rock layers

b)

The age of fossils

c)

The relative age of rock layers

d)

the super powers of rocks

16.

Relative dating determines the

a)

precise age of fossils

b)

age of rock layers and fossils compared to others

c)

climate fossils survived in

d)

movement of continents

17.

What is the correct order of the rock layers from oldest to youngest?

a)

F, E, C, B, A, D

b)

F, E, D, C, B, A

c)

A, B, C, D, E, F

d)

D, F, E, C, B, A

18.

The fault is older than layer B.

a)

TRUE

b)

FALSE

19.

Layer B on side #1 (left) is a match to which layer on side #2 (right)?

a)

z

b)

y

c)

w

d)

there is no match

20.

Traces or remains of organisms that lived long ago

a)

Fossil

b)

Unconformity

c)

Superposition

d)

Column

21.

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

a)

Law of Superposition

b)

Principle of Original Horizontality

c)

Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships

d)

Principle of Faunal Succession

22.

Which of the following is a method used to determine the relative age of rock layers?

a)

Radiometric Dating

b)

Carbon Dating

c)

Stratigraphy

d)

Thermoluminescence

23.

In a sequence of sedimentary rock layers, if a fault cuts through the layers, what can be inferred about the relative age of the fault?

a)

The fault is older than the rock layers

b)

The fault is younger than the rock layers

c)

The fault is the same age as the rock layers

d)

The age of the fault cannot be determined

24.

Which of the following best describes the concept of relative age dating?

a)

Determining the exact age of a rock or fossil

b)

Comparing the age of one rock or fossil to another

c)

Using radioactive isotopes to date rocks

d)

Measuring the decay of carbon-14 in fossils

25.

What is the significance of index fossils in relative age dating?

a)

They provide the exact age of the rock layer

b)

They indicate the environment in which the rock was formed

c)

They help to correlate rock layers across large distances

d)

They are used to date rocks using radiometric methods