2. Absolute Age vs. Relative Dating
Absolute dating is the process of determining an approximate computed age
The most common way this is done is called Radiometric Dating.
This is based on measuring the amount of radioactive decay.

3. Relative dating
This IS the science of determining the relative order of past events, without necessarily determining their absolute age.
This IS NOT going out with your cousin!
In geology rock or superficial deposits, fossils and lithologies can be used to correlate one stratigraphic column with another.

4. Tools used for Relative Dating
1) Index Fossils
Fossils of organisms with known periods of existence.
Allow Scientists to approximate the age of certain rock layers.

5. 2) Law of Superposition
In any undisturbed sequence of strata, the oldest layer is at the bottom of the sequence, and the youngest layer is at the top of the sequence.

6. 3) The Cross-Cutting Law
Any feature that cuts across a body of sediment or rock is younger than the body of sediment or rock that it cuts across.
Examples include fractures, faults, igneous intrusions
NOTE:
A fracture is a crack in rock.
A fault is a fracture along which movement has occurred.

8. 4) The Law of Inclusions
If one rock body contains fragments of another rock body it must be younger than the fragments of rock it contains. SO…The inclusions are older than the rocks which contain them.
Inclusions Inclusions “B” are older than “C”

9. inclusion

10. Can you rank the layers by age?