Absolute method of dating fossils

Dating > Absolute method of dating fossils

How Fossils are Dated, by Glen Kuban How Fossils are Dated Excerpt from Introduction to Fossil Collecting C 1994-2000, by Glen Kuban Part of Kuban's The age of a fossil may be specified absopute both relative terms how old it is in relation to other fossils or rock units and in absolute terms approximately how many years old it is. One principle of relative dating is called superposition, which holds that in any one place, the lower rock layers and fossils fozsils them are older than higher ones, unless mtehod is evidence that the layers have been overturned. This is logical, since the lower sediments would have foasils deposited first. A related concept is correlation, whereby rock layers strata are compared with others in another location on the basis of their mineral composition, fossil content, and other features. When a daging unit or series closely matches those of another area, they are said to be correlated and considered to be of similar age. Correlations are especially reliable when they include index fossils, which are fossils with a limited age range. Good index fossils are easily recognized and widely distributed around the world, so that they aid both local and international correlations. Many people have heard of the Carbon 14 method and assume that fossils are dated by it. Actually, in most cases the C-14 method is useful only on organic material less than about fosils years old, which includes many human remains and artifacts, but excludes most fossils. Such isotopes are rare in fossils themselves, but may occur in surrounding or adjoining rock layers, yielding an approximate age for the fossil-bearing unit. Using the principles discussed above, scientists also can deduce the approximate age of other layers correlated with the same formation, as well as an approximate age for layers above and below the formation which would be somewhat younger and older respectively. The branch of geology that deals with the correlation of rock layers is known as stratigraphy or biostratigraphy when focusing on the fossils within the layersabsolute method of dating fossils is an important tool of paleontologists. Recommended References Dalrymple, Brent G. The Age of the Earth. It discusses several types of dating methods including C14 and absolutee radiometric methodsand their history. Christianity and the Age fissils the Earth. Wiens: A the title of the article, this is not only a theological treatise, but a good explanation of radiometric absolute method of dating fossils and why it is largely reliable.

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