Significance. Relative dating determines the relative age of rock layers according to their relative depth. However, radiometric dating determines the absolute age with the use of decaying products of the natural radioactive isotopes.

Why are both relative dating important?

Though relative dating can only determine the sequential order in which a series of events occurred, not when they occurred, it remains a useful technique. Relative dating by biostratigraphy is the preferred method in paleontology and is, in some respects, more accurate.

Why are both relative and carbon dating important why cant we use only one type?

A living organism takes in both carbon-12 and carbon-14 from the environment in the same relative proportion that they existed naturally. Because of the short length of the carbon-14 half-life, carbon dating is only accurate for items that are thousands to tens of thousands of years old.