SCIENCE 10

GRADE 10 PESADO

GROUP 2

Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of the rocks by comparing them with the
rocks in the other layer. The younger sedimentary rock layer is assumed to be found on top and the
older rock is found at the bottom layer. Fossils found at the bottom layer are assumed to be older
than those on the upper layer.

The fossils of invertebrates found at the bottom part of the rock layer suggest that
invertebrates are probably one of the first and oldest organisms that lived on Earth.

Another method is through the use of radioactive isotopes such as carbon-14. Radiometric
dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks using the decay of radioactive isotope present
in rocks.

All organisms have decaying carbon-14 in it. Plants and animals that are still alive constantly
replace the supply of carbon in their body and the amount of carbon-14 in their body stays the
same. When an organism dies, carbon-14 starts to decay.

Carbon dating is used to tell the age of organic materials. Art collectors use carbon dating to
determine if a piece of art work is genuine or not.

One way scientists determine the age of fossils is by checking the amount of radioactive
Carbon-14 in the fossil. Carbon-14 breaks down or decays to form nitrogen-14; the rate of this
decay is constant e.g. half of the remaining Carbon-14 breaks down every 5730 years. Use this
information and compute the age of the fossils on the next page.

Out of the examination of layers of rocks and dating fossils, scientists were able to develop
the Geologic Time Scale. The Geologic Time Scale shows