GEOLOGIC HISTORY

RELATIVE DATING OF ROCK LAYERS

 ABSOLUTE DATING
Determining the actual age of a rock or fossil using radioactive decay.
 RELATIVE DATING
Determining which rock, fossil, or event came first, second, third, etc.
ABSOLUTE DATING
Radioactive Decay

RELATIVE DATING
Geologic sequencing
RELATIVE DATING
 THE LAW OF
UNIFORMITARIANISM
ROAD CUTS
GEOLOGIC CROSS-SECTIONS
CONGLOMERATE SILTSTONE

SANDSTONE

LIMESTONE SHALE
 RULE #1
Sedimentary rocks form as sediments are deposited on the bottom of a
body of water.
 RULE #2
Weathering and erosion of rock layers occurs on the surface (not under
water)
 RULE #3
The layers of rock on the bottom are the oldest.
 THE LAW OF
SUPERPOSITION
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of D
2. Deposition of C
3. Deposition of B
4. Deposition of A
5. UPLIFT
6. Weathering & Erosion
 RULE #4
Sedimentary layers are deposited horizontally. Deformation includes folding,
faulting, and tilting.
THE LAW OF ORIGINAL
HORIZONTALITY
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of shale
2. Deposition of sandstone
3. Deposition of limestone
4. Deposition of shale
5. Deposition of limestone
6. Deposition of sandstone
7. Folding
8. Uplift
9. Weathering and erosion
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of limestone
2. Deposition of siltstone
3. Deposition of sandstone
4. Deposition of limestone
5. Deposition of sandstone
6. Tilting / Faulting
7. Uplift
8. Weathering and erosion
 RULE #5
Igneous intrusions are younger than the rocks they metamorphose
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of E
2. Deposition of D
3. Intrusion C

4. Contact metamorphism
5. Deposition of B
6. Deposition of A
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of A
2. Deposition of B
3. Deposition of D
4. Intrusion C
5. Contact metamorphism
6.Uplift
7. Weathering and erosion
 RULE #6
Faults are younger than the rocks they cut through.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of limestone
2. Deposition of shale
3. Deposition of sandstone
4. Deposition of conglomerate
5. Deposition of limestone
6. Deposition of siltstone
7. Faulting
8. Uplift
9. Weathering and erosion
10. Intrusion
11. Contact metamorphism
 RULE #7
Uplift, weathering and erosion, and subsidence forms unconformities.
 Unconformities
represent a missing
part of the rock
record.
A geologic mystery
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
1. Deposition of G
2. Deposition of F
3. Deposition of E
4. Deposition of D
5. Deposition of C
6. Folding
7. Uplift
8. Weathering and erosion
9. Subsidence
10. Deposition of B
11. Deposition of A
12. Uplift
13. Weathering and erosion