Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which process uses rock layers and index fossils to estimate the age of an object?
A
Carbon-14 dating
B
Molecular clock analysis
C
Radiometric dating
D
Relative dating
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of relative dating: Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of an object or event in relation to other objects or events, rather than providing an exact numerical age.
Learn about rock layers and index fossils: Rock layers, also known as strata, are formed over time. Index fossils are fossils of organisms that lived during a specific time period and are used as markers to identify the relative age of the layers in which they are found.
Recognize how relative dating works: Relative dating uses the principle of superposition, which states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top. Index fossils help correlate the age of rock layers across different locations.
Differentiate relative dating from other methods: Unlike radiometric dating, which uses isotopes to determine an object's absolute age, relative dating does not provide a specific numerical age but rather places objects in a sequence of events.
Apply the concept: To estimate the age of an object using relative dating, examine the rock layers and identify index fossils present. Compare these findings to known geological timelines to determine the relative age of the object.