The principle of superposition states that in an undisturbed sequence of rock layers, the youngest will be at the top, the oldest at the bottom.
The one closest to the surface because rock layers are laid down one on top of another.
1. If a set of rock layers has been disturbed by movement of tectonic plates, the youngest layer may no longer be on top.
You would know because the youngest rock layer is always on the top, and the oldest is always at the bottom of the canyon.
Whenfolding, faulting, and uplifting occurs, the youngest rock layer can not always be on top. With folding the oldest rock layer could get folded over on top of a younger layer. When faulting occurs a younger rock layer can become "lower" or pushed more down in the rock layers that was originally shown. When these things happen, then rock layers can become out of order and the youngest layer is not always on the top of the layer.
refers to how old a certain rock or rock layer is compared to another rock
The one closest to the surface because rock layers are laid down one on top of another.
On the top
Clay
Superposition is the theory that the rock layer that is on top is the youngest and the layer of rock on the bottom is the oldest.
According to the Law of Superposition, in a depositional sequence of undisturbed rock layers, the top layer of rock is the most recent to form from the processes of lithification or eruption of lava onto the surface, and are therefore the youngest rock layers.
1. If a set of rock layers has been disturbed by movement of tectonic plates, the youngest layer may no longer be on top.
In undisturbed rock layers, the principle of superposition states that the youngest rock layers are on top and the oldest are at the bottom. This means that the rock layer closest to the surface is the youngest, while the layer at the bottom is the oldest. Additionally, the principle of cross-cutting relationships helps determine relative ages by looking at how faults and intrusions cut across rock layers.
The shale layer is the youngest in the series. In undisturbed rock layers, the Law of Superposition states that the youngest layer is on top and the oldest is at the bottom. So, in this case, the limestone would be the oldest layer, followed by sandstone, and then shale.
The youngest layer of sedimentary rock is typically found at the top of a sedimentary rock sequence, as it is the most recently deposited layer. This layer is usually exposed on the Earth's surface, such as in river valleys or coastal areas, where erosion may have removed older layers above it.
If erosion wore away the youngest rock layer, the older rock layers beneath it would be exposed. This would result in a stratigraphic sequence where the older rocks are now at the surface, providing a snapshot of the geologic history of that area in reverse chronological order.
The fossils are typically found in the uppermost layer of rock, as sedimentary rock is formed from the accumulation of materials over time. Newer layers are deposited on top of older layers, meaning that the youngest fossils would be located in the most recent (top) strata. Therefore, the youngest fossils are in the layer that is highest in the sequence shown.
states that the lowest rock in layers is the oldest and the highest is the youngest rock layer