Relative vs. Absolute Dating

Unlock the secrets of Earth's past! Learn relative vs. absolute dating for rocks & fossils.

1. Which type of dating gives us the most information about the age of an object? Absolute dating Relative dating Both Neither 2. Fill in the blanks below. According to the Law of Superposition, the younger rock layers are found closest to the top and the oldest rock layers are found closest to the bottom. According to the Law of Crosscutting Relationships, any intrusion must be younger than the rock layer it cuts through. 3. Identify the following as either examples of absolute dating or relative dating. Absolute Dating The Earth is 4.6 billion years old. He bought his first car in 2017 She was born in January of 1976 Relative Dating I am older than my brother Dinosaurs went extinct before humans appeared on Earth 4. Identify the following methods as either methods of relative dating or methods of absolute dating. Absolute Dating Radiometric dating Looking at an element's half-life Carbon-14 Relative Dating Law of Superposition Law of Crosscutting Relationships Index fossils 5. Which of the following describes an index fossil? Must be found in a wide variety of places on Earth. Must be found in only one rock layer Both Neither Use the picture below to answer number 6. 6. Label the rock layers from the oldest to the youngest. 1) E2) C3) B4) D5) A Use the picture below to answer number 7. 7. Which fossil would be the best index fossil? Gastropod Coral Fern Ammonite 8. Fill in the blanks below. Absolute dating is a method used to find the exact age of a rock or fossil. Relative dating is a method used to find an estimated age of a rock or fossil. 9. Vocabulary Match the terms below with the correct description. Relative dating A method of dating rocks and fossils that gives an approximate age. Absolute dating Also called radiometric dating, a method of dating rocks and fossils that gives the exact age. Law of Superposition Used in relative dating and states that each rock layer is older than the one above it. Law of Crosscutting Relationships Used in relative dating and states that any intrusion must be younger than the rock it cuts through. Half-life The amount of time is takes for half of an element's atoms to decay.