relative dating
"Relative dating" helps scientists and researchers establish the sequence of past events by comparing the positions of layers and fossils, without providing exact dates.
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Definition
B2Geology
(technical, academic)Determining the sequence of geological events by comparing rock layers and the fossils within them.
Example
- By using relative dating, geologists determined that the volcanic rock layer is older than the sedimentary rock above it.
B2Archaeology
(technical, academic)Establishing the order of past human activities by comparing the layers of artifacts and structures.
Example
- Relative dating techniques helped archaeologists determine that the pottery fragments were from an earlier period than the stone tools found above them.
B2Paleontology
(technical, academic)Arranging the chronological order of fossils by comparing their positions in sedimentary layers.
Example
- Paleontologists used relative dating to conclude that the dinosaur fossils were older than the mammal fossils found in higher layers.