answersLogoWhite

0

estimate or approximation

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

What is a weakness of relative dating?

One weakness of relative dating is that it does not provide an exact age of the fossil or rock layer being studied. It can only establish relationships between different layers based on their relative positions.


Could you tell the relative age of a fossil if layers of rock have been shifted by earthquakes?

No, the relative age of a fossil cannot be determined solely by observing the shifting of rock layers caused by earthquakes. Relative dating relies on the principle of superposition, which states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest is at the top. If rock layers have been shifted, additional dating techniques would be needed to determine the relative age of the fossil.


If in the Grand Canyon walls if a fossil imprint of a leaf is lower than a shell fossil does that mean that the leaf fossil is older than the shell fossil?

Not necessarily. The relative position of fossils in the rock layers can provide clues about their age, but it is not a definitive indicator. To determine the actual age of the fossils, scientists often use radiometric dating techniques and other methods to establish a more accurate timeline.


How can you prove the age of a fossil?

I can answer part of this question. If they can scientists use carbon dating to find the closest age of the fossil. If carbon dating is not possible they use a different technique such as this: If they look at the layers of the rocks, the rocks before and after the layer of rock the fossil was found in, can show an estimate of how old the fossil can be if they know the age of the rock layers before and after its layer.


What do scientists use to date exact age of fossils?

For relatively recent fossils, dating by carbon 14 is the most accurate method. For older fossils it is necessary to analyse the geological layer in which they are found; fossils located in an undisturbed geological layer of a certain age, are the same age as the layer in which they are found, necessarily.

Related Questions

What does relative dating provide for the age of a rock layer or fossil?

Relative dating provides an estimated age of a rock layer or fossil based on its position in relation to other rock layers or fossils. It helps determine the sequence of events in Earth's history, but does not provide an exact numerical age.


What is the method of dating fossil by their position in rock layer?

relative dating


How do you tell how old a fossil is by the rock layer?

You can determine the relative age of a fossil by looking at the position of the fossil in the rock layers. The closer a fossil is to the surface, the younger it is relative to fossils found deeper in the layers. To determine the absolute age of a fossil, scientists use radiometric dating techniques on the surrounding rocks to determine the age of the rock layer the fossil is found in.


What is the simplest dating method used by paleontologists?

Relative Dating, its where the paleontologists date the fossils according to the layer of soil that the fossil was found compared to other fossils that were carbon dated that were in the same soil layer.


What is a weakness of relative dating?

One weakness of relative dating is that it does not provide an exact age of the fossil or rock layer being studied. It can only establish relationships between different layers based on their relative positions.


What type of dating would be used to determine the age of rocks by using the fossil?

By using the geologic time scale. Certain organisms are only found during certain times and if a fossil of one of these organisms is found then you can determine the relative age of the fossil.


Main differences between relative dating and absolute dating?

Relative dating determines the age of a rock layer or fossil by comparing it to other layers, while absolute dating provides a specific age in years. Relative dating relies on stratigraphy and the Law of Superposition, while absolute dating uses techniques like radiometric dating to provide numerical ages. Both methods are used in combination to establish a more accurate timeline of Earth's history.


How relative dating works?

Relative dating is how scientists determine how old a species is by looking at the undisturbed layers of rock. The deeper down the layer is the older the fossil is. (:


Why are index Fossil helpful for performing relative dating?

Because they give us the best estimate of how old all the other fossils are in that sedimentary layer.


Could you tell the relative age of a fossil if layers of rock have been shifted by earthquakes?

No, the relative age of a fossil cannot be determined solely by observing the shifting of rock layers caused by earthquakes. Relative dating relies on the principle of superposition, which states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom and the youngest is at the top. If rock layers have been shifted, additional dating techniques would be needed to determine the relative age of the fossil.


What does relative dating mean in biology?

Relative dating in biology refers to estimating the age of a fossil or rock layer based on its position relative to other fossils or rock layers. It does not provide an exact age, but rather an estimation of the order of events. This method relies on principles like superposition and stratigraphy to determine the relative age of different geological features.


If in the Grand Canyon walls if a fossil imprint of a leaf is lower than a shell fossil does that mean that the leaf fossil is older than the shell fossil?

Not necessarily. The relative position of fossils in the rock layers can provide clues about their age, but it is not a definitive indicator. To determine the actual age of the fossils, scientists often use radiometric dating techniques and other methods to establish a more accurate timeline.