Relative Dating

The Earth is very old and many of its features were formed before people came along to study them. Studying Earth’s past is much like detective work—using clues such as positions of rock layers to uncover distinct stories. The work of geologists and paleontologists is very much like the work of forensic scientists at a crime scene. The ability to put events in their proper order is the key to unraveling the hidden story of Earth’s history.

Relative dating is a geologic term that describes the set of principles and techniques used to sequence geologic events and determine the relative age of rock formations. You will find that most of these concepts are easy to understand.

Task
● Construct a cross section that demonstrates your knowledge and
understanding of relative age dating principles
● Your cross section must include the following:
○ One unconformity
○ 5 geologic layers
○ At least 2 relative age dating principles