LAB#4

To Determine the Relative Dating Of Given Geologic Sequence

OBJECTIVE:
To study lithological changes of a given area

RELATED THEORY:
Geological Time:
The geological time scale (GTS) is a system of chronological measurement that relates
stratigraphy to time, and is used by geologists, paleontologists, and other Earth scientists to
describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred throughout Earths
history. The table of geologic time spans presented here agrees with the nomenclature, dates and
standard color codes set forth by the International Commission on Stratigraphy
Absolute Dating:
Absolute dating is the process of determining an
age on a specified time scale in geology. In
geology, the primary methods of absolute dating
involve using the radioactive decay of elements
trapped in rocks or minerals, including isotope
systems from very young (radiocarbon dating
with 14 C) to systems such as uranium-lead
dating that allow acquisition of absolute ages for
some of the oldest rocks on earth.
Relative 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). In geology rock or superficial
deposits, fossils and lithologys can be used to
correlate one stratigraphic column with another.
Prior to the discovery of radiometric dating
which provided a means of absolute dating in the
early 20th century, geologists were largely
limited to the use of relative dating techniques to
determine the age of geological events.
Though relative dating can only determine the sequential order in which a series of events
occurred, not when they occur, it remains a useful technique especially in materials lacking
radioactive isotopes

Principles of Relative Dating:

Original horizontality
The principle of original horizontality states that the
deposition of sediments occurs as essentially horizontal beds.
Observation of modern marine and non-marine sediments in a
wide variety of environments supports this generalization
(although cross-bedding is inclined, the overall orientation of
cross-bedded units is horizontal)

Superposition
The law of superposition states that a sedimentary rock layer
in a tectonically undisturbed sequence is younger than the
one beneath it and older than the one above it. This is
because it is not possible for a younger layer to slip beneath
layer previously deposited.
Faunal succession
The principle of faunal succession is based on the
appearance of fossils in sedimentary rocks. As organisms
exist at the same time period throughout the world, their
presence or (sometimes) absence may be used to provide
a relative age of the formations in which they are found.

Lateral continuity
The principle of lateral continuity states that layers of
sediment initially extend laterally in all directions; in
other words, they are laterally continuous. As a result,
rocks that are otherwise similar, but are now separated
by a valley or other erosional feature, can be assumed to
be originally continuous.

 Inclusions and components

The principle of inclusions and components states that,
with sedimentary rocks, if inclusions (or clasts) are found
in a formation, then the inclusions must be older than the
formation that contains them.

Cross-cutting relationships
The principle of cross-cutting relationships pertains
to the formation of faults and the age of the
sequences through which they cut. Faults are
younger than the rocks they cut; accordingly, if a
fault is found that penetrates some formations but
not those on top of it, then the formations that were
cut are older than the fault, and the ones that are not
cut must be younger than the fault

Intrusive relationships
The principle of intrusive relationships concerns
crosscutting intrusions. In geology, when an igneous
intrusion cuts across a formation of sedimentary rock,
it can be determined that the igneous intrusion is
younger than the sedimentary rock

Relative Dating Of Different Structures

Sequence of events:
Figure 1

Deposition of E,H,C,F,B
Intrusion A
Fault D
Erosion G

Figure 1
Figure 2

Deposition of E,A, G
Folding
Intrusion F,
Erosion of G
Deposition of I
Deposition D,H,B
Intrusion C
Erosion B
Figure 2

Figure 3

Deposition of F,P,
Joint G
Erosion of f,p
Deposition of B,R
Intrusion m
Deposition of H,A
Erosion
Deposition of E,X
Deposition of D,
Fault K
Erosion D,X
Deposition of S,j
Erosion of S,j
Figure 3

Figure 4

Deposition of V
Joint C
Erosion of C
Deposition of O,M
Folding of O,M
Deposition of X
Fault K
Intrusion E
Erosion of X
Deposition of B
Intrusion S
Erosion of B,
Deposition of z,J,G
Erosion of J,G,B
Deposition of L,F

Figure 4
Figure 4

Fracture T
Intrusion A
Erosion of F,
Deposition of H,D
Fault P

REFERENCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relative_dating
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/absolute_dating