Relative age dating tells us which fossils are older and which fossils are younger. It does not tell us the age of the fossils. To get an age in years, we use radiometric dating of the rocks. Not every rock can be dated this way, but volcanic ash deposits are among those that can be dated.

What is relative dating in paleontology?

Relative dating puts geologic events in chronological order without requiring that a specific numerical age be assigned to each event. Second, it is possible to determine the numerical age for fossils or earth materials.

How does relative dating help geologists study rock structure?

Relative dating puts the sequences of rocks layers into chronological order. Although the layers are no longer horizontal, geologists are able to determine their order.

What is relative age dating?

Relative dating is the science of determining the relative order of past events (i.e., the age of an object in comparison to another), without necessarily determining their absolute age (i.e. estimated age).