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There are a number of ways to tell the age of a rock. Some rocks contain radioactive elements, such as thorium or uranium, which have known half lives (a half life being the amount of time that it takes for half of a given sample to decay) and by analyzing relative quantities of the various isotopes present in the rock, it is possible to figure out how long it took them to reach their present state. There is also stratigraphic analysis, which determines in which layer the rock appears, when there are means of dating the various layers by means of processes that happen at a known speed (erosion, deposition of microscopic shells, etc.).

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11y ago
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7y ago
One way is by which layers are above and below them.
Another way is by various radioisotope dating methods.
Another way is by certain induced fluorescence methods.
There are many other ways.
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it comes algea

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15y ago

carbon dating

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12y ago

Fossils

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strata

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Q: How can you determine the age of rock layers?
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Related questions

Is it true that Stratigraphy is a method to determine the relative age of rock strata?

Yes, stratigraphy is a method to determine the relative age of rock strata. Stratigraphy is a branch of geology which studies rock layers.


Why are index fossils useful for figure out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers?

index fossils are useful for figuring out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers by index fossils are used to determine when rock layers were formed so if they were used to figure out the age of a set of disturbed rock layers than they can also figure out when they were formed .


What process involves the comparison of rock layers with others in a sequence to determine its age?

relative dating


What are index fossils and how are they used to determine the absolute age of sedimentary rock?

Index fossils can be used to help determine the relative age of rock layers. Index fossils are from species that only existed for a short time. Index fossils are found in rock layers. Trilobites and Graptolites are index fossils.


How can you determine accurate ages of rock layers?

Stratigraphic position Age Dating techniques i.e. carbon etc Fossil Assemblage present in rock specimen


What two things did 19th century scientists do to determine the relative age of sedimentary rock all over the world?

They studied fossils and applied the principle that old layers of rock are below young layers! -


What are index fossils and how are they used to determine the absolute age of sedimentary rocks?

Index fossils can be used to help determine the relative age of rock layers. Index fossils are from species that only existed for a short time. Index fossils are found in rock layers. Trilobites and Graptolites are index fossils.


What are index fossil and how are they used to determined the absolute age of sedimentary rock?

Index fossils can be used to help determine the relative age of rock layers. Index fossils are from species that only existed for a short time. Index fossils are found in rock layers. Trilobites and Graptolites are index fossils.


How do scientists use sedimentary rock to determine a fossils relative age?

Scientists use sedimentary rock to determine a fossil relative age by studying the rock.


A fossil that is found in the rock layers of only one geologic age and that is used to establish the age of the rock layers?

An index fossil.


How can fossills be used to determine the relative ages of rock layers?

fossils can be used to determine the relative age of rock layer by using the classification of fossils to find the relative ages of rocks in which fossils are found. :] hoped i helped you out.


What can the law of superposition determine?

The age layers of rocks.