Relative Dating

Front

What does relative dating of rock layers tell us about the depth of rocks?

Back

The deeper we dig, the older the rocks get.

Front

What is the Law of Superposition?

Back

States that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed.

Front

True or False: Catastrophic processes and Uniformitarian processes both play essential roles in Earth's history.

Back

True

Front

How does sedimentary rock usually form?

Back

Horizontally.

Front

What principle states that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes?

Back

Uniformitarianism.

Front

What is relative dating?

Back

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

Front

What is the difference between relative dating and absolute dating?

Back

Relative dating determines the order of events, while absolute dating provides a specific age.

Front

What is an unconformity in geology?

Back

A gap in the geological record that indicates a period of erosion or non-deposition.

Front

What is catastrophism?

Back

The theory that Earth's features are shaped by sudden, short-lived, and violent events.

Front

What is the significance of fossils in relative dating?

Back

Fossils help to identify the relative ages of rock layers and the environments in which they formed.