Scientists also use direct evidence from observations of the rock layers themselves to help determine the relative age of rock layers. By correlating fossils from various parts of the world, scientists are able to give relative ages to particular strata. This is called relative dating.
How do scientist use relative dating?
Relative dating is used to determine a fossils approximate age by comparing it to similar rocks and fossils of known ages. Absolute dating is used to determine a precise age of a fossil by using radiometric dating to measure the decay of isotopes, either within the fossil or more often the rocks associated with it.
What is the method of dating in relative dating?
Relative dating methods estimate whether an object is younger or older than other things found at the site. Relative dating does not offer specific dates, it simply allows to determine if one artifact, fossil, or stratigraphic layer is older than another.
8.2 Relative Dating MethodsUnconformity TypeDescriptionDisconformityA boundary between two sequences of sedimentary rocks where the underlying ones have been eroded (but not tilted) prior to the deposition of the younger ones (as in Figure 8.7)3 more rows