Dating Rock Layers and Human Impact

Name ___________________________________________Date____________________Period____________Day
1. What is Age? There are 2 kinds:
Absolute Age The number of years since the rock formed. (150 million years old, 10 thousand years old.)
Much harder to figure out. Often impossible.
Relative Age The age compared to the ages of other rocks. (older than this rock, younger than that rock.)
Much easier to figure out. Can be deduced from clues on the Earth.
2. What are the ways to tell RELATIVE AGE. 1. Law of Superposition 2. Extrusion & Intrusion 3. Faults
4. Unconformities 5. Uniformitarianism
3. What is the Law of Superposition? In horizontal sedimentary rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom.
Each higher layer is younger than the layers below it.
4. What is Extrusion? When magma cools on the surface of the Earth its called an EXTRUSION. Extrusions are
always YOUNGER than the rock it is sitting on. For extrusion think exit or outside.
5. What is an Intrusion? When magma cools beneath the surface of the Earth its called an INTRUSION.
Intrusions are always YOUNGER than the rocks around it. For intrusion think inside.
6. What is a Fault? A BREAK in the Earths crust. A fault is always YOUNGER than the rock it cuts through.
Faults move over time, making determining the age of the layers confusing. Faults move over time causing the
rock layers to move. As more time goes by, more rock layers are added on top. Making aging the rock layers
difficult. Geologists must then label each of the rock layers. This can be tough because they werent around to
see the whole process occur.
7. What is an Unconformity? The surface where new rock layers meet a much older rock surface beneath them.
An unconformity shows where some rock layers have been lost because of erosion.
8. What is Uniformitarianism? Geologic process that happened in the past can be explained by current geologic
processes. Processes such as volcanism and erosion that go on today happened in a similar way in the past.
Because geologic processes tend to happen at a slow rate, this means that Earth much be very old.
9. Summary Dating Rock Layers
Relative vs. Absolute Age
Determining Relative Age:
a. Law of Superposition on top is younger
b. Intrusions magma inside Earth.
c. Extrusions magma on top of Earth.
d. Faults breaks in the crust
e. Unconformities signs of erosion.
f. Uniformitarianism processes repeat and happen slowly showing extreme age of Earth.
10.Humans impact their environment in a number of different ways including the following: 1. Urbanization 2.
Deforestation 3. Desertification 4. Changing Water Flow 5. Pollution
11.What is Urbanization? The growth of urban areas (cities) caused by people moving into cities. When cities
increase in size, the population of rural areas near the city may decrease.

12.What is Deforestation? The removal of trees and other vegetation from an area. Urbanization can cause
deforestation when forests are replaced with buildings.
13.What is Desertification? The process by which land becomes more desert like and unable to support life.
Urbanization can also lead to desertification.
14.What happens when Water Flow is Changed? Digging irrigation canals to get water to crops changes the flow
of rivers. Irrigation arid areas (deserts), changes the ecology of those areas. Building dams disrupts water flow
and affects the ecology of the land and water.
15.What is Pollution? Contamination of air, water or land by pollutants from human and natural sources.
16. Summary Human Impact:
Urbanization building cities
Deforestation cutting down trees
Desertification turning land into deserts
Changing Water Flow changes environment with increase or decrease of water
Pollution contaminating environment
Dating Rock Layers, Earths History, and Human
Impact Mini Quiz
1. Different areas are classified according to land use.
Which of these areas would likely have the largest
human population and the highest levels of air pollution?
E.6.6
A.
B.
C.
D.

a rural area
an urban area
a natural area
a suburban area

layers below it.

C. Metamorphic rock is older than nearby sedimentary
rock because sedimentary rock is deposited before
metamorphic rock forms.
D. The exact age of a sedimentary rock layer can be
found using the layers above and
below it, even if the layers are
not in their original positions.
4. The diagram shows layers of
sedimentary rock that have not
moved from their original
positions.

2. Aaron has one older brother and one younger sister.

He wants to explain relative dating to them using their
ages as an example. Which of these statements describes
their ages using relative dating? E.6.3

Which layer (or layers) is older than layer 3? E.6.3

A. Their ages are 14, 12, and 9.

B. They are all about the same age.
C. The boys have different ages than the girl.
D. Aaron is younger than his brother, but older than
his sister.

5. Air pollution is caused by many different activities.

Air pollution can affect human health and the health of
other living things. Which of these choices gives the
best description of air pollution? E.6.6

3. What is the law of superposition? E.6.3

A. Igneous rock is older than nearby sedimentary rock,
which is older than nearby metamorphic rock.
B. A sedimentary rock layer in its original position is
older than the layers above it and younger than the

A. 1 only

C.1 and 2

B. 4 only

D. 2 and 4

A. the circulating of pollutants in enclosed spaces

B. the long-term health issues related to the quality of
the air
C. the contamination of the atmosphere by
pollutants from human and natural sources
D. the pollution that results from global warming