The relative age of a rock is its age in comparison with other rocks. If you know the relative ages of two rock layers, you know which is older and which is younger, but you do not know how old the layers …

Nicholas Steno formulated the principles in the 17th century that allow scientists to determine the relative ages of rocks. Steno stated that sedimentary rocks are formed in continuous, horizontal …

Jan 1, 2026 · In this lesson, you read how scientists determine the relative ages of sedimentary rock layers. The law of superposition determines which rock layers are younger or older than others.

The relative age of a rock refers to its age compared to the ages of other rocks or geological features, determining the chronological sequence of events without stating a specific number of years. This …

Hutton, a Scottish geologist, first proposed formally the fundamental principle used to classify rocks according to their relative ages. He concluded, after studying rocks at many outcrops, that each layer …

Help us work out the relative ages of the layers of sedimentary rocks, from youngest to oldest. Remember that the younger sedimentary rocks lie on top of older ones and were horizontal when …

Relative age dating is used to determine whether one rock layer (or the fossils in it) are older or younger than another base on their relative position: younger rocks are positioned on top of older rocks.

Geologists can use terraces to establish relative ages for when the river eroded the landscape. The highest terrace is the oldest. Unconformities represent a gap in time when the landscape is being …

What is the best definition of relative age? Relative age refers to the approximate age of a specific rock layer, which is determined by comparing its position to other rock layers.

Relative dating is the process of determining if one rock or geologic event is older or younger than another, without knowing their specific ages—i.e., how many years ago the object was formed.