Why are absolute dating and relative dating DIFFERENT?
A. They both try to find the date rocks
B. One uses cleavage, the other uses luster
C. One uses minerals, the other uses rocks
D. One uses other rock layers, the other uses radioactivity
D. One uses other rock layers, the other uses radioactivity
Absolute dating is a method of measuring the age of a rock or geological event in years. It often involves measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes found in minerals to determine the time that has passed since the rock formed. This method provides a specific numeric age or date.
Relative dating, on the other hand, doesn't provide a specific date. Instead, it places rocks and geological events in a sequence based on their position relative to other rocks and events. Key principles of relative dating include the law of superposition (in an undisturbed sequence of rocks, the oldest rocks are at the bottom), and the principle of cross-cutting relationships, where an intrusive rock feature is younger than the rock across which it cuts.
B. is incorrect because cleavage and luster are physical properties of minerals that have no direct bearing on dating rocks. A. is incorrect because both do not necessarily date rocks; absolute dating can also date archaeological artifacts or other materials containing radioactive elements, and relative dating involves the sequence of events rather than a specific date. C. is incorrect because both methods can involve either minerals or rocks in their processes; the distinction is not based on the material but the methodology employed for dating.