dating places fossils into a sequence of events without assigning a specific age.
Question
Dating places fossils into a sequence of events without assigning a specific age.
Solution
The process you're referring to is called "relative dating." This method of dating places fossils and geological features in a sequential order as determined from their position in the geological record. It allows scientists to understand the chronological order of a range of fossils or artifacts, but it does not provide a specific age or date for these items. Here are the steps:
-
Stratigraphy: This involves observing the layering of rocks and earth. Older layers are generally found deeper in the ground while younger layers are found closer to the surface.
-
Index Fossils: These are fossils of organisms that existed for a relatively short period of time but were geographically widespread. They can be used to correlate the age of different rock layers.
-
Faunal Succession: This principle states that different fossil species always appear and disappear in the same order, and that once a fossil species goes extinct, it disappears and cannot reappear in younger rocks.
-
Cross-Cutting Relationships: This principle states that an intrusion or a fault is younger than the rocks that it cuts through.
By using these principles, scientists can construct a sequence of events and understand the relative ages of various fossils and rock layers.
Similar Questions
Scientists can use dating to figure out the absolute age of fossils. Word Bank:radiometricsuperpositionrelativeBlank 1:
The age of a fossil can be determined usingGroup of answer choicesradiometric datingNonespeedometricpediometric
What patterns do scientists identify in the fossil record?
What do we call the idea that we can never know the first or last occurrence of an animal from the fossil record?
Scientists can estimate the ages of rock if they contain certain __________. A. sediments B. carbons C. minerals D. index fossils
Upgrade your grade with Knowee
Get personalized homework help. Review tough concepts in more detail, or go deeper into your topic by exploring other relevant questions.