Which describes the difference between the law of inclusion and the law of crosscutting in relative dating of rocks and fossils?(1 point)
Responses
Bottom layers of rock are older only in the law of crosscutting.
Bottom layers of rock are older only in the law of crosscutting.
Intruding objects are younger in the law of inclusion.
Intruding objects are younger in the law of inclusion.
Bottom layers of rock are younger only in the law of crosscutting.
Bottom layers of rock are younger only in the law of crosscutting.
Intruding objects are older in the law of inclusion.
Intruding objects are older in the law of inclusion.
Intruding objects are younger in the law of inclusion, while bottom layers of rock are older in the law of crosscutting.
The correct response is:
Intruding objects are younger in the law of inclusion.
The law of inclusion and the law of crosscutting are both principles used in relative dating to determine the age relationships of rocks and fossils.
The law of inclusion states that inclusions, or fragments of one rock that are contained within another rock, must be older than the rock that contains them. This is because the rock containing the inclusions must have formed after the inclusions were already present. So, intruding objects are younger in the law of inclusion. By observing the presence of inclusions, geologists can infer the relative ages of different rocks.
On the other hand, the law of crosscutting states that a rock or geological feature must be younger than any rock or feature that it cuts across or disrupts. This means that if a rock layer is cut by a fault, intrusion, or other geological event, the rock layer that was cut must be older than the event that disrupted it. In this case, bottom layers of rock are older only in the law of crosscutting. By analyzing the relationships between different rock layers and geological features, geologists can determine the relative timing of events.
In summary, the main difference between the law of inclusion and the law of crosscutting lies in their application to different situations. The law of inclusion helps determine the age relationship of rocks based on the presence of inclusions, while the law of crosscutting focuses on the relative age relationships of rocks and features based on their cutting or disrupting relationships.