What is Relative Dating?

Relative dating is the science of determining the relative order of past events (i.e., the
age of an object in comparison to another), without necessarily determining their absolute
age, (i.e. estimated age). In geology, rock or superficial deposits, fossils and lithologies can be
used to correlate one stratigraphic column with another. Prior to the discovery of radiometric
dating which provided a means of absolute dating in the early 20th century, archaeologists
and geologists used this technique to determine ages of materials. Though relative dating can
only determine the sequential order in which a series of events occurred, not when they
occur, it remains a useful technique especially in radiometric dating. Relative dating by
biostratigraphy is the preferred method in paleontology, and is in some respects more
accurate (Stanley, 16769). The Law of Superposition, which states that older layers will be
deeper in a site than more recent layers, was the summary outcome of 'relative dating' as
observed in geology from the 17th century to the early 20th century.
Geologists often need to know the age of material that they find. They use absolute
dating methods, sometimes called numerical dating, to give rocks an actual date, or date
range, in number of years. This is different to relative dating, which only puts geological
events in time order.Radiometric dating Most absolute dates for rocks are obtained with
radiometric methods. These use radioactive minerals in rocks as geological clocks.
The atoms of some chemical elements have different forms, called isotopes. These break
down over time in a process scientists call radioactive decay. Each original isotope, called the
parent, gradually decays to form a new isotope, called the daughter. Each isotope is identified
with what is called a mass number. When parent uranium-238 decays, for example, it
produces subatomic particles, energy and daughter lead-206.
Absolute dating rock layers
Interactive: Absolute dating rock layers
Isotopes are important to geologists because each radioactive element decays at a
constant rate, which is unique to that element. These rates of decay are known, so if you can
measure the proportion of parent and daughter isotopes in rocks now, you can calculate when
the rocks were formed.
Because of their unique decay rates, different elements are used for dating different
age ranges. For example, the decay of potassium-40 to argon-40 is used to date rocks older
than 20,000 years, and the decay of uranium-238 to lead-206 is used for rocks older than 1
million years.
Radiocarbon dating measures radioactive isotopes in once-living organic material
instead of rock, using the decay of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14. Because of the fairly fast decay
rate of carbon-14, it can only be used on material up to about 60,000 years old. Geologists
use radiocarbon to date such materials as wood and pollen trapped in sediment, which
indicates the date of the sediment itself.

Geologists often need to know the age of material that they find. They use absolute
dating methods, sometimes called numerical dating, to give rocks an actual date, or date
range, in number of years. This is different to relative dating, which only puts geological
events in time order.
Radiometric dating

Most absolute dates for rocks are obtained with radiometric methods. These use
radioactive minerals in rocks as geological clocks.

The atoms of some chemical elements have different forms, called isotopes. These
break down over time in a process scientists call radioactive decay. Each original isotope,
called the parent, gradually decays to form a new isotope, called the daughter. Each isotope
is identified with what is called a mass number. When parent uranium-238 decays, for
example, it produces subatomic particles, energy and daughter lead-206.
Absolute dating rock layers
Interactive: Absolute dating rock layers

Isotopes are important to geologists because each radioactive element decays at a

constant rate, which is unique to that element. These rates of decay are known, so if you can
measure the proportion of parent and daughter isotopes in rocks now, you can calculate when
the rocks were formed.

Because of their unique decay rates, different elements are used for dating different
age ranges. For example, the decay of potassium-40 to argon-40 is used to date rocks older
than 20,000 years, and the decay of uranium-238 to lead-206 is used for rocks older than 1
million years.

Radiocarbon dating measures radioactive isotopes in once-living organic material

instead of rock, using the decay of carbon-14 to nitrogen-14. Because of the fairly fast decay
rate of carbon-14, it can only be used on material up to about 60,000 years old. Geologists
use radiocarbon to date such materials as wood and pollen trapped in sediment, which
indicates the date of the sediment itself.

Characteristics of some common radiometric dating methods.

Image: Radiometric dating methods
What is an isotope?
Video: What is an isotope?

What is Absolute Dating?

Measuring isotopes is particularly useful for dating igneous and some metamorphic
rock, but not sedimentary rock. Sedimentary rock is made of particles derived from other
rocks, so measuring isotopes would date the original rock material, not the sediments they
have ended up in. However, there are radiometric dating methods that can be used on
sedimentary rock, including luminescence dating.
All radiometric dating methods measure isotopes in some way. Most directly measure
the amount of isotopes in rocks, using a mass spectrometer. Others measure the subatomic
particles that are emitted as an isotope decays. Some measure the decay of isotopes more
indirectly. For example, fission track dating measures the microscopic marks left in crystals by
subatomic particles from decaying isotopes. Another example is luminescence dating, which
measures the energy from radioactive decay that is trapped inside nearby crystals.
Absolute dating is the process of determining an age on a specified time scale in
archaeology and geology. Some scientists prefer the terms chronometric or calendar dating,
as use of the word "absolute" implies an unwarranted certainty of accuracy.[1][2] Absolute
dating provides a numerical age or range in contrast with relative dating which places events
in order without any measure of the age between events.
In archeology, absolute dating is usually based on the physical, chemical, and life
properties of the materials of artifacts, buildings, or other items that have been modified by
humans and by historical associations with materials with known dates (coins and written
history). Techniques include tree rings in timbers, radiocarbon dating of wood or bones, and
trapped charge dating methods such as thermoluminescence dating of glazed ceramics.[3]
Coins found in excavations may have their production date written on them, or there may be
written records describing the coin and when it was used, allowing the site to be associated
with a particular calendar year. In historical geology, the primary methods of absolute dating
involve using the radioactive decay of elements trapped in rocks or minerals, including
isotope systems from very young (radiocarbon dating with 14 C) to systems such as uraniumlead dating that allow acquisition of absolute ages for some of the oldest rocks on earth.