Stratification of Rocks and How to

Determine the Age of the Stratified Rocks

Objectives
You should be able to:
 describe how layers of rocks (stratified rocks) are formed,
 describe the different methods (relative and absolute dating) to determine
the age of stratified rocks, and
 explain how relative and absolute dating were used to determine the
subdivisions of geologic time.

WHAT IS STRATIFICATION?

 Stratification, the layering that occurs in most sedimentary rocks

and in those igneous rocks formed at the Earth’s surface, as from
lava flows and volcanic fragmental deposits. The layers range from
several millimetres to many metres in thickness and vary greatly in
shape. Strata may range from thin sheets that cover many square
kilometers to thick lens-like bodies that extend only a few metres
laterally.

 Most rocks are sedimentary rocks. They are formed from older rocks
that have been broken down by water or wind. The older rocks
become sedimentary particles such as gravel, sand, and mud. These
particles can also bury dead plants and animals. As time goes by, the
particles accumulate, and those that are at the bottom of the pile
become rocks. Gravel becomes conglomerate; sand becomes
sandstone; and mud becomes shale or mudstone. The animals or
plants buried with them become fossils. These series of events form
the different layers of rocks.
STEPS TO THE INFORMATION OF A SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

1. WEATHERING – water and wind breaks up rocks at Earth’s

surface.
2. EROSION – particles carried away from their source by water or
wind.
3. DEPOSITION – particles “settle out” of water sometimes wind.
Often this means the particles will fall to the bottom of a lake or
ocean.

How to Determine the Age of Stratified

Rocks?
The age of a rock is determined by stratigraphy, a branch in geology
which studies the chronology of events and changes, along with the
development of organisms, which have determined the development of
the Earth from when it became an independent spatial body until today.
The age, or the chronology of geological creations and events is
determined using relative and absolute age.

In determining the relative age of a rock, the data from sedimentary rocks
are generally used. Relative age of magmatic and metamorphic rocks is
determined according to their relation with sedimentary rocks.
 Determining the Relative Age of a Rock
The determination of the relative age of a rock is based on the principle of
original horizontality of the sediments, principle of superposition,
principle of original lateral continuity, principle of cross-cutting
relationships, principle of inclusions, principle of biological succession and
the lithology of a rock.

 The principle of original horizontality departs from the

assumption that most of the sedimentary rocks are deposited under
the action of gravity, in approximately horizontal layers, i.e., parallel
to the surface to which they deposit.
 The principle of superposition is based on the assumption that, in
a regular sequence of layers, the oldest layer will be on the bottom
of the sequence, while all the other layers are successively more
recent.
 The principle of original lateral continuity states that layers of
sediment extend in all directions until they become thinner or until
they are interrupted by an obstacle.
 The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that a
geological object (magmatic intrusion) cutting other rocks must be
younger of the two features. Moreover, the faults (cracks along
which a shift of rocks from one side to the other is visible) are
younger than the rocks they cut (fault).
 The principle of inclusion states that each rock containing
inclusions of a neighbouring rock must be younger than that rock
 Methods to Determine the Age of Stratified
Rocks
 There are two methods of determining the ages of rocks: relative
dating and absolute dating.

Relative Dating
 Relative dating cannot provide actual numerical dates of rocks. It only
tells that one rock is older than the other but does not tell how old
each of the rock is.
 Any slight changes in the particle size or composition may result in
the formation of layers called beds. Layering or bedding is a distinct
quality of sedimentary rocks. The layered rocks are also called strata.

Principles of Relative Dating

 The law of superposition states that, in any sequence of layered
sedimentary rocks, the top layer is younger than the bottom layer. It is
important in the interpretation of the Earth's history because it indicates
the relative age of the rock layers and fossils.
 The law of original horizontality states that most sediments were
originally laid down horizontally. However, many layered rocks are no
longer horizontal. Based on the law of original horizontality, the rocks that
were tilted may be due to later events such as tilting episodes of mountain
building.
 The law of lateral continuity states that rock layers extend laterally or
out to the sides. These layers may cover broad surfaces. Erosion may have
worn away some parts of the rock, but the layers on either side of the
eroded areas still match.
 The law of cross-cutting relationship states that fault lines and igneous rocks
are younger features that cut through older features of rocks.
Absolute Dating
 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.
Examples
 Radiocarbon dating for organic remains could date up to 60 000 years.
 K-Ar dating and U-Pb dating for volcanic rocks could date up to five billion
years.

The Geologic Time Scale

 The geologic time scale shows the geologic time intervals based on the
geologic rock records, which describe the relationships between the
events that happened throughout the Earth’s history. The sequence of
events is based on the radiometric dating of igneous rocks associated
with the fossil-bearing sedimentary rocks.
 A geologic time scale is revised as more fossil-bearing sedimentary
rocks are dated. It is calibrated by integrating results from relative
and absolute dating. Below is an example of how geologic time scale is
calibrated.

Key Points
 Strata or the different layers of rocks are formed when the sediments at the
bottom of the pile become rocks.
 Relative dating is a method of arranging geological events based on the rock
sequence.
 Absolute dating is a method that gives an actual date of the rock or period of an
event.
 Geologic time scale shows the geologic time intervals based on the geologic rock
records.
 The integration of relative and absolute dating results to a calibrated geological
time scale.