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Lab: Relative and Absolute Dating

Student Guide

Pre-Lab Information

Purpose:
To understand how relative dating and absolute dating are used to determine the age of rock layers.

Time:
Approximately 60 minutes

Question:
How are relative and absolute dating methods used to determine the age of rocks and fossils?

Summary:
In this lab, you will examine examples of rock outcrops and determine the relative age of each layer, including the use of cross-cutting intrusions and index fossils. Then, you will model radioactive decay by using pennies. Finally, you will graph your results.

Safety:
- Behavior in the lab needs to be purposeful.
- Report all accidents—no matter how big or small—to your teacher.

Lab Procedure:
(Instructions for the lab procedure will follow here.)

Sagot :

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Final answer:

Relative and absolute dating methods are vital in determining the age of rocks and fossils, helping geologists unravel Earth's history and reconstruct past events.


Explanation:

Relative dating is the process of determining the comparative age of rocks or fossils by analyzing their positions in rock layers. On the other hand, absolute dating provides an exact age using techniques like radiometric dating. Geologists use both methods to understand the Earth's history and the timing of events.

For instance, in the lab procedure described, students will examine rock outcrops using principles of relative dating to determine the sequence of events and then model radioactive decay to understand absolute dating. Understanding these concepts helps in reconstructing past geological events.

By applying geological principles and using various dating techniques, scientists can unravel the complexities of Earth's history, revealing the ages of rocks, fossils, and the evolutionary timelines of organisms. These methods are crucial in piecing together the puzzle of geological time scales and understanding the relationships between different time periods.


Learn more about Relative and absolute dating methods here:

https://brainly.com/question/31993194


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