Radiometric

Dating,
Stratigraphy
and
Geologic
Time
But first things first….
4 lines of evidence for
continental drift
1) Puzzle-piece fit
2) Fossil evidence
3) Paleoclimate evidence
4) Matching rock types
Stratigraphy
The study of the relative
position of rock layers and
their relationship to the
geological time scale.

Based on 4 rules:

Original Horizontality

Superposition

Lateral Continuity

Cross-cutting Relationships.
Stratigraphy
Stratigraphy
Principle of Lateral Continuity
Stratigraphy
Relative Age
Using these 4
principles, geologists
can determine the
order of when rock
layers (strata) were
deposited. This
determines their
relative age.
But what if that’s not enough?
What if we want to know
exactly how old a rock layer
is?

We need to use a tool known

as radiometric dating to
determine the absolute age
of a rock.
Radiometric Dating
Some isotopes of known
elements undergo radioactive
decay into decay products.

The half-life of a substance is

the time it takes for one half of
that substance to decay into its
decay product.
Radiometric Dating
By knowing the half-life of a
substance and the ratio of
decay products to unaltered
isotopes of that substance
within a rock, the absolute age
of a rock can be determined.
Using Relative and Absolute age
In what order did the following
events occur? (Relative age)

If the igneous rock D has been

dated to 40 million years old,
and rock C has been dated to 50
million years old, what estimate
can we give for the age of rock
A?
Geologic Time scale
Using techniques from stratigraphy
and radiometric dating geologists
have constructed a geologic time
scale of the earth.

This time scale is a guide to how the

geological ages relate to one another.
Fossil Fuels
What are they?
● Hydrocarbons such as coal, oil and
natural gas
● Come from chemically altered
plant matter
○ Heat and pressure change the chemical
makeup
Why are they important?
What did we do today?
1) 4 lines of evidence for continental drift
a) Puzzle-piece fit
b) Fossil evidence
c) Paleoclimate evidence
d) Matching rock types
2) 4 rules of stratigraphy
a) Original Horizontality
b) Superposition
c) Lateral Continuity
d) Cross-Cutting relationships
3) Relative age
4) Absolute age
5) Geologic Time Scale
6) Fossil Fuels