Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 27

GRADE

11

EARTH
SCIENCE
QU AR TE R 2
MODU LE 10

R elative
& A bsolute
D A T I N G
Earth Science– Grade 11
Quarter 2 – Module 10: Relative and Absolute Dating

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the
Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein
the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office
may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks,
etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been
exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright owners.
The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad


Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Niño R. Nazareno

Editors: Manuel F. Teodoro, Emily Esmabe, Helen Cornelio, and Cristy D. Ello

Reviewers: Manuel F. Teodoro, Emily Esmabe, Helen Cornelio

Illustrator: Christian D. Jamisola

Layout Artist: Christian D. Jamisola


MOST ESSENTIAL
LEARNING COMPETENCY

Describe the different methods


(relative and absolute dating) of
determining the age of rocks.
(S11ES-IIh-i-36)

E A R T H S C I E N C E
01
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
Supplementary Learning Module for Senior High School Learners

BEGIN!

"The present is the key to the past." The history of the Earth is
recorded in rocks, but the rock record is inherently incomplete. Some
of the "events" do not leave a record or are not preserved. Some of
LESSON the rock record may have also been lost through the recycling of
rocks. Preserved in rocks are the remains and traces of plants and
RELATIVE animals that have lived and died through-out Earth's History — fossils.
AND The fossil record provides scientists with one of the most compelling
ABSOLUTE evidence for Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Scientists use two
DATING methods to determine the age of rocks/fossils, and these will be
explained by going through into this module.

Being unaware of what history holds is like living in this world


without a purpose. Knowing the different layers of stratified rocks is like
knowing every pages of our history book. Want to turn these pages? Hop
on! And let us rock it on!

YOUR TARGETS

At the end of the module, you should be able to:


✓ describe relative dating and the different methods of relative dating,
✓ describe absolute dating and the different methods of absolute dating,
✓ determine the similarities and differences of relative and absolute dating.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
02
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
TRY THIS!

Instructions: Identify what is asked or described in each item


then write the letter of the correct answer on your answer sheet.

1. Which law states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been
disturbed?
a. cross-cutting c. unconformity
b. Superposition d. uniformitarianism

2. What do you call that break in the geologic record that is made when rock layers are
ERODED over a long period of time?
a. cross-cutting c. superposition
b. relative dating d. unconformity

3. Analyse the seashell found in the white layer. Which statement is true of the rock layer
that contains this fossil?

a. It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.


b. It is older than the layers below it.
c. It is younger than the layers above it.
d. It is older than the layers above it.

4. How does absolute age differ from relative age?


a. only relative dating finds the age in years
b. only absolute dating finds the age in years
c. only absolute dating indicates which rock is older than another
d. all of the above

5. What is the half-life of carbon-14?


a. 5,000 years c. 5,730 years
b. 5,700 years d. 5,750 years

Good Job!
Maybe, you find it hard to answer correctly but it
is okay! It is just the beginning of your journey to
the genesis of stratified rocks. Now, be ready for
the upcoming activities. Let us go!

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
03
DO THIS!

Instructions:
PILE ✓ Identify their age by analysing the type of work they do, years in service,
ME UP! and clues to their age (e.g. favorite T.V. show when they were growing
up).
✓ Pile them up in the table provided below, by writing their names starting
from oldest to youngest.

Good Day!
It is nice to meet you!
I am ZEN-ZEN I am
a college student. I I am NIKO I am working at
love watching FASHION de AMOR as
Romantic-Comedy. fashion artist for 10 years.
I love watching Horror
movies.

Greetings!
Hello!
This is Helcurt. I
My name is Marc. I do love love playing with
watching football game. my friends at the
park. I always go
I am working as pediatrician
to the mall. I love
at Zengerome Hospital for
10 years. I love watching to eat spaghetti.
action movies.

YOUNGEST

OLDEST

Excellent!

You are wise enough to identify their chronological


ages!

Now, take time to process the information you


acquired by accomplishing the next task.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
04
UNSCRAMBLE Instructions: Study the scrambled letters and try to unscramble
or rearrange the letters to form a word that is appropriate to the
THE definition given in each item. Write your answer on your answer
SCRAMBLED! sheet.

_______________1. Used to arrange geological events and the rocks they leave behind, in a
sequence. (TVRAIEEL NIDATG)
_______________2. The process of finding-out the actual order of the events that happened
in the past. (OUALETBS NIDATG)
_______________3. This states that sedimentary rock layers are deposited; younger layers
are on top of older deposits. (ALW FO PPUTSOONIEIRS)
_______________4. This law states that if deposits are tilted, folded, or broken, sedimentary
rock layers are deposited horizontally. (ALW FO ROLGIANI
HYTAZOONTLIR)
_______________5. This principle states that a layer or stratum must always be older than
any feature that cuts or disrupts it. (ATLERAL YTOCIUNNIT)
_______________6. surface of non-deposition or erosion. (CUMRYTIFONON)
_______________7. This principle states that if an igneous intrusion or a fault cuts through
existing rocks, the intrusion/fault is younger than the rock it cuts through.
(OSCRS-GNTTUCI)
_______________8. It states that attitude of beds above and below the surface of erosion
unconformity are not the same (beds are not parallel to each other.
(UAGARNL MYUFITNCONRO)
_______________9. This type of unconformity states that sedimentary rock strata above and
below the surface of erosion are parallel to each other.
(CMOYTRIDSNFO)
_______________10. This states that there is no discernible erosional surface; however,
there is a gap in the ages between the rock units. (AAOORPFYTIMNC)

WHAT’S Instructions: Carefully examine the illustration below. Arrange the events
UP? from 1 – 5.

It contains evidence of the following events:


_____________ The baking heat of the sun
caused cracks to form in the
dried mud puddle.
_____________Hailstone fell during the
thunderstone.
_____________ The mud puddle dried.
_____________ A thunderstorm began.
_____________ A child ran through the mud
puddle.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
05
KEEP THIS IN MIND

How did you find the relative ages of the following persons from Activity 1? Did you
create your own criteria to determine who are young and who are old? What are these?
Just like human, the age of rocks and fossils can also be determined. And one of these
methods is the Relative Dating. Relative Dating is used to arrange geological events, and the
rocks they leave behind, in a sequence. This method of reading the order is called
stratigraphy (layers of rock are called strata). Relative dating does not provide actual
numerical dates for the rocks.
/w/index.php?curid=14715935
Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org
Figure 1(By Matt Affolter (QFL247), CC BY-SA 3.0)

Figure 1. The Permian through Jurassic stratigraphy of the Colorado Plateau area of
southeastern Utah is a great example of Original Horizontality and the Law of
Superposition, two important ideas used in relative dating. These strata make up much of
the famous prominent rock formations in widely spaced protected areas such as Capitol
Reef National Park and Canyonlands National Park. From top to bottom: Rounded tan
domes of the Navajo Sandstone, layered red Kayenta Formation, cliff-forming, vertically
jointed, red Wingate Sandstone, slope-forming, purplish Chinle Formation, layered,
lighter-red Moenkopi Formation, and white, layered Cutler Formation sandstone. Photo
from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah.
There are different methods and principles that are used to determine the relative ages
of rocks.

1. Principle of Original Horizontality - When sediments are deposited, they form


essentially horizontal or flat layers (Figure 2).
- A corollary of this principle is that tilted sedimentary rocks were originally horizontal
and that they must have been subjected to rock deformation (i.e. folding).

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
06
www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~mcesaire/horizontalstrata.gif)
Source: http://
because of sediment deposition. (Image
Figure 2.: Layering or bedding

2. Law of Superposition - New rock layers are always deposited on top of existing rock
layers (Figure 3.).
- Therefore, deeper layers must be older than those closer to the surface.
- The sediments poured into the pail of water settles into horizontal layers.
- The bottom most layer is the oldest and the topmost layer is the youngest.
https.loudfront.net/datastreams
of superposition (Image Source:
Figure 3.: Illustration of the law

3. Principle of Lateral Continuity - Rock layers extend laterally and cover very broad
areas, especially if they formed at the bottom of ancient seas. If there is sufficient
supply of sediments, the layer will continue to extend further.
- If a geologist studying the distribution of rocks will encounter the same rock types
on the opposite side of the river valley in Figure 4, upon applying the Principle
of Lateral Continuity, he can conclude that these rocks previously formed a
continuous layer and that the part of the original layer of rock must have been
eroded by the river.
- Layers of the same rock type are found across canyons at the Grand Canyon
(Figure 5.).

Take note of the white layer on the top that is continuous throughout despite the
presence of gaps in between.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
07
Figure 4: A landscape that
undergoes stream erosion.
As the river cuts down the
underlying layers, it
progressively erodes older
layers.

Figure 5: Panorama of the Grand Canyon from the south rim (Photo by Roger Bolsius). (Image Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org /wikipedia/commons/8/85/ Grand_Canyon_Panorama_2013.jpg)

4. Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationship - This principle states that a layer or stratum


must always be older than any feature that cuts or disrupts it. For example, if a layer
is cut by a fault, the layer is older than the fault that cuts across it.

Figure 6: Hypothetical cross section/block model of an area underlain by different rock


types (Illustration by Woudloper). F is a fault that cuts through layers C and igneous rock B;
therefore, F is younger than C and B. Rock D is a dike that cuts across all the other rocks. It
is therefore younger than the other rocks. If you will look closely, Rock E is younger than rock
D because rock D was not able to cut through Rock E. Rock E was then deposited after the
intrusion of Rock D. Fault, F, on the other hand is the youngest of all because it was able to
cut through Rock E. However, E was eroded out on the other side of the fault block (left side
of the fault).

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
08
5. Principle of Unconformity - An unconformity is a surface of non-deposition or
erosion. Accumulation of sediments continues until the supply of sediments is cut off
or if the area is subject to uplift and erosion. Uplift to the surface (e.g. from the bottom
of the ocean to the surface) exposes rocks to the agents of weathering and erosion.
- Figure 7 illustrates the sequence of events that can lead to the formation of an
angular unconformity.
- The horizontally layered sedimentary unit on top is separated from the
underlying folded rocks by an unconformity. Rocks above an unconformity are
younger than the rocks below.

Figure 7: Formation of an
angular uniformity (Illustration
by Actualist). Sediments are
initially deposited as horizontal
A layers

(a). The resulting rocks layers


are then subject to folding

(b). Rock deformation (folding)


is often associated with uplift.
B
Exposure of the folded rock
layers to the surface results to
erosion

(c). Finally, the folded and


eroded rocks undergo
C subsidence allowing the
resumption of deposition

(d). The unconformity


(represented by the undulating
surface) represents a period of
erosion.
D

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
09
Types of unconformities

✤ Angular Unconformity -
attitude of beds above and
below the surface of erosion or
unconformity are not the same
(beds are not parallel to each
other).

✤ Nonconformity - the layer


below the erosional surface is
either a metamorphic rock or an
igneous rock. The layer above
the erosional surface is a
sedimentary rock.

✤ Disconformity - sedimentary rock strata above and below the surface of erosion are
parallel to each other.

✤ Paraconformity - strata or beds are parallel to each other. There is no discernable


erosional surface; however, there is a gap in the ages between the rock units. A
paraconformity represents a period of non-deposition.

Do you now understand what relative dating is? And what is the different method
used by geologist to determine the relative ages of every stratum? Do you think you
can now describe each? Let us find out in the succeeding activity.

Rock bodies in this cross-section are labeled A


through H. One of these rock bodies is an intrusion.
Intrusions occur when molten rock called magma
penetrates layers from below. The magma is always
younger than the layers that it penetrates. Likewise,
a fault is a crack or break that occurs across rock
layers and the term faulting is used to describe the
occurrence of a fault. The broken layers may move
so that one side of the fault is higher than the other.
Faulted layers may also tilt.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
10
APPLY WHAT YOU
YOU HAVE LEARNED

Instructions: From the illustration below, put the rock bodies illustrated in
order, based on where they formed. Write each letter by order to the
PART I
space provided and answer the guide questions.

1. ___________________________ 6. _____________________________
2. ___________________________ 7. _____________________________
3. ___________________________ 8. _____________________________
4. __________________________ 9. _____________________________
5. ___________________________

GUIDE QUESTION:

1. Relative to other rock bodies, when did the fault occur? (2 points)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
11
Instructions: Match each principle to its explanation. Write the
PART II letter of the explanation in your answer sheet.

Explanations:
a. In undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest layer
is at the top.

b. In some rock formations, layers or parts of layers may be missing. This is often due
to erosion. Erosion by water or wind removes sediment from exposed surfaces.
Erosion often leaves a new flat surface with some of the original material missing.

c. Sediments are originally deposited in horizontal layers.

d. Any feature that cuts across rock layers is younger than the layers.

e. Sedimentary layers or lava flows extend sideways in all directions until they thin
out or reach a barrier.

f. Any part of a previous rock layer, like a piece of stone, is older than the layer
containing it.

______1. Original ______2. Lateral ______3. Superposition


Horizontality Continuity

______4. Inclusions ______5. Unconformities ______6. Cross- Cutting


Relationship

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
12
DO THIS!

Instructions: Match the illustrations from column A to their appropriate


MATCHY Ages from column B. Write the letter of the correct answer to the space
MATCHY provided before the number.

A B

________1. a. 15 yrs. old

________2. b. 75 yrs. old

________3. c. 38 yrs. old

_________4. d. 7 yrs. old

_________5. e. 1 yr. old

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
13
CROSS-WORD Instructions:
Read the clues below and fill in the correct answer.
PUZZLE!

ACROSS:
1. To date the actual age of old materials, scientists use_____.
2. Any remains, impression, or trace of a living thing from a former geological era.
3. The time needed for half of a sample of radioactive element to undergo radioactive
decay and form daughter isotopes.
4. The half-life of Carbon-14 is _____.
5. How absolute dating differ from relative dating?

DOWN
1. What is a technique used to find materials such as igneous or gas?
2. If I were to measure a dinosaur fossil, what element should I use?

2.
1.
3.

4.

5.
6.

7.

8.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
14
Instructions: Complete the graphic organizer by
TIMELINE GRAPHIC supplying it with the appropriate radiometric dating
ORGANIZER methods used on each era. Describe each radiometric
dating by looking at the word bank.

1. 2.

Paleozoic ERA MESOZOIC ERA CENOZOIC ERA

542-251 Million Years ago 252-66 Million years 66 Million years ago present

3.

Table 1. RADIOMETRIC DATING METHODS

POTASSIUM-ARGON
RADIOCARBON DATING URANIUM-LEAD DATING
DATING

Table 2. DESCRIPTIONS
This method is used to
This method is used to date This method is used to date determine the igneous
igneous rocks that are 100, things lived in the last 45, rocks that are between 100
000 years to billion years 000 years million years and a few
billion years old.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
15
KEEP THIS IN MIND

How do we know how old something is? For people, we ask to see for birth certificate.
For trees, we count the rings. But how do we know how old exactly the fossil is?
The process of finding out the actual order of the events that occurred in the past is
known as absolute dating. It determines the specific age of a fossil. Geologists can use
the methods of relative dating to learn whether a rock is older or younger than another
rock. However, they often also need to know exactly how old rock is. Once the sequence
of events becomes known, they can get the idea of which era something belongs to and
therefore the mystery solves itself. One way to learn the age of a rock is to use unstable
atoms.
Image Source: https://images.app.goo.gl/hb132s9BP7fNctki9

With the discovery of radioactivity in


the late 1800s, scientists were able to measure
the absolute age or the exact age of some rocks
in years. Absolute dating allows scientists to
assign numbers to the breaks in the geologic
time scale and get an absolute age of a rock or
fossil, matter, including rock, is made of atoms.
All atoms are made of three kinds of particles:
protons, neutrons, and electrons. All the atoms
of an element, such as uranium, have the
same number of protons. However, some
atoms of an element have different numbers of
neutrons. Atoms of an element that have
different numbers of neutrons are called
isotopes.
Many isotopes are stable and are always in
the same form. However, other isotopes are
unstable and can break down into new isotopes
of different elements. An unstable isotope is
called a radioactive isotope. Radioactive
decay happens when a radioactive isotope
breaks down into a new isotope.
Figure
Half-life is the time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive element to undergo
radioactive decay and form daughter isotopes. After one half-life has passed, one-half of
the parent isotopes have changed into daughter isotopes.
Scientist used many different isotopes for radiometric dating. The type of isotope
used depends on the type of material being dated. These following methods were being
used to identify the accurate age of a fossil.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
16
1. Radiocarbon Dating - This is used to find the
age of once living materials between 100 and TRIVIA: The best rock for
50,000 years old. It is usually used to radiometric dating is an
determine ages of human fossils and habitation IGNEOUS ROCK. When igneous
sites. rocks form, minerals in them
- Radiocarbon dating is a method used for often contain only a parent
dating wood, bones, shells, and other isotope and none of the daughter
organic remains. All living things have a isotope. This makes the isotope
constant ratio of radioactive carbon-14 to percentages easier to interpret
carbon-12. Once a plant or an animal dies, and helps dating to be more
no more carbon is taken in. The ratio accurate.
between the isotope’s changes because
carbon-14 undergoes radioactive decay.
- The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years; the number of half-lives of carbon-14 that
have passed gives the absolute age.
- Radiocarbon dating can be used to date organic matter only.

2. Potassium-Argon Dating - Potassium is Key Points: the half-life of an


common in many minerals, such as feldspar, element does not change; it is not
mica, and amphibole. affected by temperature,
- With its half-life, the technique is used to pressure, moisture, or any other
date rocks from 100,000 years to over a factors.
billion years old.
- Potassium-40 decays to argon-40 with a half-life of 1.26 billion years.
- Argon is a gas, allowing it to escape from molten magma. Thus, any argon that is
found in an igneous crystal probably formed because of the decay of potassium-
40. Measuring the ratio of potassium-40 to argon-40 yields a good estimate of the
age of that crystal.

3. Uranium-Lead Dating – Uranium-lead dating is based on measuring the amount of


the lead-206 daughter isotope in a sample.
- Uranium-lead dating can be used to determine the age of igneous rocks that are
between 100 million years and a few billion years old.
- Two uranium isotopes are used for radiometric dating:
• Uranium-238 decays to lead-206 with a half-life of 4.47 billion years.
• Uranium-235 decays to form lead-207 with a half-life of 704 million years.
- Uranium-lead dating is usually performed on zircon crystals. When zircon forms in
an igneous rock, the crystals readily accept atoms of uranium but reject atoms of
lead. If any lead is found in a zircon crystal, it can be assumed that it was produced
from the decay of uranium.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
17
APPLY WHAT YOU
YOU HAVE LEARNED

Instructions: Write T if the statement is TRUE and F if the


I. TRUE OR FALSE statement is FALSE.

_________1. The Half-life of an element does change; it is affected by pressure, temperature


and moisture or any other factor.
_________2. Relative dating tells us only the similar order of the events that occurred in the
past, while absolute dating tells us the exact order or age of the events that
happened in the past.
_________3. Radiocarbon Dating is used to find the age of a material between 100 and
50,000 years old.
_________4. The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,750 years old.
_________5. Uranium-lead dating can be used to determine the age of igneous rocks that are
between 100 million years and a few billion years old.

Instructions: Write the similarities and differences of relative and absolute


II. VENN dating by completing and filling-out the Venn diagram below. (5 POINTS EACH)
DIAGRAM

RELATIVE ABSOLUTE
DATING DATING

Differences Differences
Similarities

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
18
REFLECTION

Congratulations, you have


finished the activity part!

Kindly check your answers by


referring to the answer key.

I have learned that…


___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

I wish to ask my teacher…


_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

REINFORCEMENT

To strengthen what you have learned in this module, you are going to make
your own MNEMONIC DEVICE about the different methods of relative and absolute
dating.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
19
WORD BANK

The following terms used in this module are defined as follows:

ABSOLUTE
The actual age of a fossil/matter.
AGE

ABSOLUTE Is the process of determining an age on a specified chronology


DATING in archaeology and geology.
is a term used for a structure occurring in granite and similar
BED/BEDDING rocks which allows them to split in well-defined planes
horizontally or parallel to the land surface.
Any remains, impression, or trace of a living thing from a former
FOSSIL
geological era.

GEOLOGIC Is a system of chronological dating that relates geological strata


TIME to time.

is the time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive element


HALF-LIFE
to undergo radioactive decay and form daughter isotopes

The action or process of forcing a body of igneous rock between


INTRUSION
or through existing formations, without reaching the surface.

Any variant of elements with the same number of protons but


ISOTOPES
with different number of neutrons in each atom.

RADIOMETRIC The process of determining the absolute age of a sample based


DATING on the ratio of parent isotope to daughter isotope.

RELATIVE is used to arrange geological events, and the rocks they leave
DATING behind, in a sequence.

STRATA Stratum, layer of sedimentary rock or soil.

Branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers and


STRATIGRAPHY
layering.

UNSTABLE An isotopes that are radioactive, means their nuclei when


ISOTOPES unstable, can break down or decay and emit radiation.

ZIRCON Is a zirconium silicate mineral with a chemical composition of


CRYSTALS ZrSiO4.

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
20
ASSESS WHAT YOU
HAVE LEARNED

Directions: Identify what is asked or described in each item


then write the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which law states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been
disturbed?
a. cross-cutting
b. Superposition
c. Unconformity
d. Uniformitarianism

2. What do you call that break in the geologic record that is made when rock layers are
ERODED over a long period of time?
a. cross-cutting
b. relative dating
c. superposition
d. unconformity

3. Analyze the seashell found in the white layer. Which statement is true of the rock layer
that contains this fossil?

a. It could also contain a fossil from the bottom layer.


b. It is older than the layers below it.
c. It is younger than the layers above it.
d. It is older than the layers above it.

4. How does absolute age differ from relative age?


a. only relative dating finds the age in years
b. only absolute dating finds the age in years
c. only absolute dating indicates which rock is older than another
d. all of the above

5. What is the half-life of carbon-14?


a. 5,000 years
b. 5,700 years
c. 5,730 years
d. 5,750 years

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
21
ANSWER KEEY

TRY THIS!
1. B 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C

DO THIS!
I. PILE ME UP!

YOUNG HELCURT
ZEN-ZEN
MARC
OLD NIKO

II. UNSCRAMBLE THE SCRAMBLED


1. RELATIVE DATING 6. UNCONFORMITY
2. ABSOLUTE DATING 7. CROSS-CUTTING
3. LAW OF SUPERPOSITION 8. ANGULAR UNCONFORMITY
4. LAW OF ORIGINAL
9. DISCONFORMITY
HORIZONTALITY
5. LATERAL CONTINUITY 10. PARACONFORMITY

III. WHAT’S UP!


5
3
4
1
2

APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!


I. A
1. H 4. FAULT 7. B
2. G 5. D 6. E
3. F 6. C 7. A

GUIDED QUESTIONS:
1. THE FAULT FORMED AFTER LAYERS H, G, AND F BUT BEFORE LAYER D.
2. FIRST LAYERS B, E, AND A FORMED, AND THE UNCONFORMITY OF THE
STREAM OCCURRED. THE STRAM EVADED THROUGH LAYERS A AND E.
II. B
1. C 4. F
2. E 5. B
3. A 6. D

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
22
DO THIS!
I. MATCHY MATCHY
1. C 2. D 3. E 4. A 5. B

II. CROSSWORD PUZZLE


1. RADIOMETRIC DATING 5. HAL-LIFE
2. URANIUM-238 6. 5730
3. ABSOLUTE DATING 7. C14
4. FOSSIL 8. EXACT AGE

III. TIMELINE GRAPHIC ORGANIZER


1. URANIUM-LEAD DATING – THIS METHOD IS USED TO DETERMINE THE
IGNEOUS ROCKS THAT ARE BETWEEN 100 MILLION YEARS AND A FEW
BILLION YEARS OLD.
2. POTTASIUM-ARGON DATING- THIS METHOD IS USED TO DATE
IGNEOUS ROCKS THAT ARE 100, 000 YEARS TO BILLION YEARS
3. RADIOCARBON DATING- THIS METHOD IS USED TO DATE THINGS THAT
LIVED IN THE LAST 45,000 YEARS.S
APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!
I. TRUE OR FALSE!

1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. T

II. VENN DIAGRAM! (REFER FROM THE DISCUSSION ABOVE FOR THEIR
ANSWERS)

ASSES WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!

1. B 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
23
REFERENCES

https://science4inquiry.com/LessonPlans/EarthScience/Dating/RelativeAbsoluteDatin
gFinal.pdf
https://ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/BarBar.html
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/education%20and%20career
s/Earth%20Science%20Week/esw12/Relative%20dating%20lesson%20plan.pdf?la=
en
http://images.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/AL/OneontaCounty/OneontaCityHigh/Uplo
ads/Presentations/RELATIVE%20AND%20ABSOLUTE%20DATING.ppt
https://notendur.hi.is/oi/Historical%20Geology%20pdf/3-
Relative%20versus%20absolute%20age%20of%20rocks.pdf
http://my.ilstu.edu/~pameist/Lecture%20Notes/Dating.pdf
http://web.arc.losrios.edu/~borougt/Geology305_GeologicDatingHomework_Fall_201
2.pdf
https://www.wahpeton.k12.nd.us/ourpages/auto/2015/8/20/53494933/U2%20L3%20
Notes.pdf
https://www.most.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/Determining_Age_of_Rocks__Fossils.pdf
https://web.nmsu.edu/~dshearer/geology/09_Geotime/M09-Geotime-slides-HO.pdf
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1485-relative-dating
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/education%20and%20career
s/Earth%20Science%20Week/esw12/Relative%20dating%20lesson%20plan.pdf?la=
en
http://sjutsscience.weebly.com/uploads/3/7/4/5/37458459/relative_dating_worksheet
_key.pdf
https://www.wahpeton.k12.nd.us/ourpages/auto/2015/8/20/53494933/U2%20L3%20
Notes.pdf
https://www.ck12.org/tebook/ck-12-earth-science-for-middle-school-teachers-
edition/section/11.4/
https://www.scarsdaleschools.k12.ny.us/cms/lib5/NY01001205/Centricity/Domain/31
1/interactive_textbook63.pdf
https://www.most.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/04/Determining_Age_of_Rocks__Fossils.pdf

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
24
http://www.cfalls.summit.k12.oh.us/userfiles/653/Classes/6198/dating-
worksheet.pdf?id=7949
http://www.cfalls.summit.k12.oh.us/userfiles/653/Classes/6198/dating-
worksheet.pdf?id=7949
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Relative-Dating-Worksheet-5111121 -
IMAGE
https://truthsnitch.com/2017/06/06/not-exact-science-dating-evidence-drive-theory-
vice-versa/relative-dating-vs-absolute-dating-venn-diagram/ - IMAGE
Teaching Guide for Senior High School_ EARTH SCIENCE.pdf

E A R T H S C I E N C E
R e l a t i v e a n d A b s o l u t e D a t i n g
25

You might also like