Why are absolute dating and relative dating different
Absolute dating and relative dating are different methods used to determine the age of rocks, fossils, and other geological materials.
Relative dating involves determining the relative order of past events, without necessarily determining their absolute age. It is based on the principle of superposition, which states that in undisturbed layers of rock, the younger layers are on top of older layers. Relative dating methods include stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and cross-cutting relationships. This method can give an estimation of the age of a geological event or fossil in relation to other events or fossils.
On the other hand, absolute dating is the process of determining a specific age in years or a specific range of time for a geological material or event. It relies on various methods including radiometric dating, which measures the decay of radioactive isotopes in the material, and dendrochronology, which uses tree ring patterns to determine age. Absolute dating provides a more precise and accurate estimation of the age of a geological material or event.
In summary, relative dating provides a relative order of events, while absolute dating provides a specific age or range of time for a geological material or event.