Name: ARIANETTE C.

ATILAS
Grade/Section: G11-STEM-A EARTH SCIENCE Q2-MODULE 11
Relative and Absolute Dating
What I Know
Directions: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the letter of your answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. B 6.B 11. A
2. C 7. B 12. C
3. B 8. C 13. D
4. C 9. D 14. A
5. D 10. B 15. B
What’s In
In our past lesson, you learned how layers of rocks are formed. You also learned that in Earth's history by studying the
record of past events that is preserved in the rocks. Most of the rocks which are exposed at the surface of the earth are
called sedimentary rocks. Let us find out the different methods relative and absolute dating of determining the age of
stratified rocks by rounding up the activity.
Directions: Read the paragraph and answer the question below. Can you write the exact time you are doing the
following activities?
ACTIVITIES TIME
1. Doing Homework 6 P.M
2. Going to School 6 A.M
3. Eating your Lunch 12 P.M
4. Waking up 5 A.M
5. Praying 10 P.M
What’s New
How relative and absolute dating were used to determine the subdivisions of geologic time? Let us try to find out by
accomplishing the next activity.
Youngest
B
K
N
A
J
D
M
C
L
G
H
E
Oldest
Geologic cross section for relative age analysis. Place letters on the lines along the right side section to indicate the
relative age of the rock units from oldest (first) to youngest (last)
What’s More
Activity 1.1 Differentiations Using a Venn Diagram
A Venn diagram tells both dating methods as two individual sets. The area of intersection of both sets tells the purpose
common to both. Look at the diagram to understand their common purpose. When you observe the intersection in this
diagram comparing these two Dating techniques, we can conclude that they both have two things in common: a) give
an idea of the sequence in which events have tell the age of fossils or rocks. Occurred and b) tell the age of fossils or
rocks. Although absolute dating methods determine the accurate age compared to the relative methods, both are good
in their own ways. Directions: Complete the Venn diagram using the words inside the box. Write your answer on
answer sheet of paper.
 Relative Dating Absolute Dating

Determines the order of Determines the age of

formation of Remains Give the remains using
using Stratigraphic order of Radiometric
methods and formation methods and
Qualitative of age Quantitative
methods of dating. methods of dating

Intersection

Activity 1.2 Differentiations Using a Venn Diagram

Directions: Tell which type of dating is being described. Write RD if relative, and AD if absolute. Write your answer
on answer sheet of paper.
RD 1. It tells if an object/event is younger or older than another object/event from
history.
RD 2. It is qualitative.
AD 3. Most Absolute dates for rocks are obtained with radiometric methods.
AD 4. It is quantitative.
AD 5. This technique helps determine the exact age of the remains.
What I Have Learned
Activity 1.1 Challenge? What do you think?
Directions: Answer the following questions. Write answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. How do layers of rocks explain the history of Earth?
 A landscape describes all the visible features of the Earth’s surface now or in the past. We can learn about
Earth’s landscapes from the past by studying rock layers and the fossils found in them. We can tell about the
Earth’s history by looking at the different layers. The upper layers, those that are closest to the surface of the
Earth, are the newest layers to be laid down. Layers below are older. Since sedimentary rocks form on top of
each other, it is very easy to see Earth’s geologic history in areas where this type of rock is found. The
location of fossils in rock layers provides evidence of Earth’s past landscapes. Fossils found in a particular
rock layer help us to determine the age of the rock.
2. How does the relative position of rocks reveal something about its history?
 The relative position of the rocks reveals something about its history because most of the rocks were
sedimentary and made up of different sediments that were compacted together through time. This sediments
formed layers by layers through the passing of time forming bed layers in the rocks. The layer in the rocks
proves that another layer is older than the other. This is in accordance to the Law of Superposition. Some
rocks would also have some fossil embedded in it that may prove and show some of its history. The sediments
were laid down horizontally. However, we can observe that some rocks do not have a horizontal layer. This
might show that in some times the rocks has been moved from its original place due to some events like tilting
during mountain building.
3. How absolute dating used to determine the age of stratified rocks?
 Absolute dating or radiometric dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks by measuring its
radioactive decay. A radioactive isotope in the rock decays into a stable daughter isotope. The decay occurs at
a predictable rate, so the age of the sample could be determined.
4. How are index fossils used to identify the subdivision of the geologic time scale?
 Animal or plant preserved in the rock record of the Earth that is characteristic of a particular span of geologic
time or environment is a useful index fossil because it’s distinctive or easily recognizable, abundant, and have
a wide geographic distribution and a short range through time. Index fossils are the basis for defining
boundaries in the geologic time scale and for the correlation of strata.
5. How does one determine the age of Earth?
 Scientists have developed different methods of determining the age of the earth. By using these methods, or a
combination of them, the age of geological formations created by past events and even the fossilized bones of
prehistoric animals can be determined.
  Radiation Measurement- Radioactive decay is a spontaneous process in which an isotope (the parent) loses
particles from its nucleus to form an isotope of a new element (the daughter). The rate of decay is
conveniently expressed in terms of an isotope's half-life, or the time it takes for one-half of a particular
radioactive isotope in a sample to decay.
 Stratigraphic Superposition- within a sequence of layers of sedimentary rock, the oldest layer is at the base
and that the layers are progressively younger with ascending order in the sequence. On occasion, however,
deformation may have caused the rocks of the crust to tilt, perhaps to the point of overturning them.
 The Fossil Record- Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from
the past. Fossils are important evidence for evolution because they show that life on earth was once different
from life found on earth today.
Activity 1.2 Let us Explore!
Guide Questions: Relative vs. Absolute Dating: Ultimate Face-off
1. What are the four methods of relative dating?
 The four methods of relative dating are Stratigraphy, Biostratigraphy, Cross Dating and Fluorine Dating.
2. Give the four methods of absolute dating.
 The four methods of absolute dating are Radiometric Dating, Amino Acid Dating, Dendrochronology and
Thermoluminescence.
3. This type of dating determines the exact age of the remains and is more expensive.
 Absolute Dating determines the exact age of the remains and is more expensive.
4. The technique used in dating sedimentary rocks and is qualitative in nature.
 Relative Dating is the technique used in dating sedimentary rocks and is qualitative in nature.
5. How elements can be used to determine age of rock?
 To establish the age of a rock or a fossil, researchers use some type of clock to determine the date it was
formed. Geologists commonly use radiometric dating methods, based on the natural radioactive decay of
certain elements such as potassium and carbon, as reliable clocks to date ancient events.
6. Why are layers of rocks related to one another?
 Sedimentary rock is rock that is formed in layers by the depositing and pressing of sediments on top of each
other. Sediments are any loose material that gets broken away and carried: pieces of rocks, pebbles,
sand, clay, silt, boulders, dead organisms, animals, plants, shells, etc. When sediments move and settle
somewhere, they are being deposited. When, over a long time, layers and layers of sediments get deposited on
top of each other, the weight of the top layers presses down on the bottom layers, forming them into rock
called sedimentary rock. The oldest layers are on the bottom, and the youngest layers are on the top.
Stratigraphy deals with all the characteristics of layered rocks. Layers are absolutely related to one another
because it is a Sedimentary type of Rock.
What I Can Do
Activity: Geologic Time Scale
Time span of Earth’s past is so great that geologists use the geologic time scale to show Earth’s history. The geologic
time scale is a recorded of the geologic events and the evolution of life forms.
1. Fill in the data table to show the number of millions of years each Era lasted:
**Note: percent are rounded to the nearest .5%
The Divisions of Geologic Percent Millions of years
Time
The age of the Earth 100% 4,600 my
Cenozoic Era 1.5% 69 my
Mesozoic Era 4.0% 184 my
Mesozoic Era 6.5% 299 my
Precambrian Time 88.0% 4,048 my
2. Create a pie chart to show the percentage of time each Era of geologic time represents in the Geologic Time Scale:
3. On a separate sheet of paper, complete a Brace Map showing the Geologic Time Scale Eras and Periods as shown
on the Geologic Time Scale Reference Chart.
4. Mark the following important events on your brace map next to the correct period.

HOLOCENE

QUARTERNARY
PLEISTOCENE -EVOLVED
HUMANS
CENOZOIC
ERA
PLIOCENE - HUMANS

TERTIARY MIOCENE

OLIGOCENE

CRETACEOUS EOCENE - WHALES

PALEOCENE - MAMMALS
PANEROZOIC MESOZOIC
JURASSIC
EON ERA

TRIASSIC - REPTILES & DINOSAURS

PERMIAN - PANGEA STARTS TO SEPARATE

MISSISSIPIAN
PALEOZOIC PENNSYLVANIAN
GEOLOGIC ERA SILURIAN
TIME SCALE DEVONIAN - FISH
CAMBRIAN - EARLY LAND PLANTS
ORDOVICIAN - TRILOBITES

PROTEROZOIC

PRECAMBRIAN ARCHEAN - SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISM

HADEAN

5. What do you notice about the complexity of the fossils as we move through the Geologic Time Scale from the
Precambrian Times to Quaternary Period? What can you conclude from your observation? Answer in complete
sentences on your answer sheet.
 Comparing the fossils through the geologic time scale, starting with the Precambrian and going towards the
Quaternary, we can see that the fossils of the animals and the plants have gradually been becoming more and
more complex. While in the Precambrian period the living organisms have been relatively simple, most of the
animals being covered with exoskeletons, living in water, the diversification much smaller, and the plants still
being very primitive, in the periods that follow there's great changes. The plants become bigger and more
complex, developing new way of life, while the animals develop bone structures inside their bodies. The
diversification explodes. The living organisms grow in size develop special and unique features, living in
pretty much every environment.
Assessment
Directions: Read and analyze the following questions. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on
a separate sheet of paper.
1. A 1. RD
2. D 2. RD
3. C 3. AD
4. D 4. AD
5. A 5. RD

Additional Activities
Reflection
Directions: Complete the paragraph below. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

I’ve learned that absolute dating, also called Numerical Dating that arranges the historical remains in order of their
ages. Whereas, relative dating arranges them in the Chronological Order of their formation. Most absolute dates for
Rocks are obtained with radiometric methods.