RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE

DATING
for Earth Science – Senior High School (Core Subject)
Quarter 2 / Week 5
 FOREWORD

Dear students of Senior High School. Welcome back to this week’s

self-learning kit where you will journey to the new lesson. This learning kit will
serve as a guide in understanding deeply the concepts on stratification and
dating of rocks.

In this learning kit you will gain knowledge in explaining the stratification
or layering of rocks through the deposition, generally of sedimentary rocks. It
will also broaden your ideas on the factors which cause the formation of layers
of rocks and how rock stratification will be useful in understanding past
environments. It will also describe the laws which help in explaining how rocks
are formed and changed over time. Activities and post evaluation are
included to make learning more fun and exciting.

Furthermore, you will be able to know how the age of a fossil is

determined and what principles are used to determine the age of a rock and
a particular fossil.

Hence, this learning kit will be your aid as you embark new scientific
words, ideas and enrich your existing knowledge about scientific concepts.

The author of this module has been an experienced teacher in the field
of Biology and teaching core and applied subjects in the Senior High
Curriculum.

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 OBJECTIVES:

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Explain how relative and absolute dating are used
in determining the age of stratified rocks.
2. Describe different principles used in relative and
absolute dating.
3. Value the importance of scientific developments
in dating rock materials and discoveries of events
both in the past and at present.

LEARNING COMPETENCY:

Describe the different methods (relative and absolute

dating) to determine the age of stratified rocks (S11ES-IIh-
i-36).

3
I. WHAT HAPPENED

Let’s Warm Up: MATCH THEM UP!

Directions. Match the pictures in column A to the items in column B which gives
the correct idea by writing the letters only. Identify each item in column B either
Relative Dating or Absolute Dating for column C. Write your answers in the
notebook.

Optional: Visit https://wordwall.net/resource/3277843 and

enjoy the activity.

4
II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

As an ordinary individual, we cannot tell, even hardly guess the age of

a rock by looking at it. However, as it was mentioned earlier that geologists
and paleontologists could give the ages of the objects or materials they
discovered, and time of events that happened in the past considering that
they were not present on that particular time of event. And so we ask, how
were they able to determine the age of the rocks and fossils in general?

Geologists often need to know the age of material that they find.
Geologic age dating is assigning an age to materials. There are two types of
age determinations. Geologists in the late 18th and early 19th century studied
rock layers and the fossils in them to determine relative age.

Relative dating is the process of determining if one rock or geologic

event is older or younger than another, without knowing their specific ages like
how many years ago the object was formed. It is like saying that your granny
is older than you.

The following are the principles in relative dating

Stratigraphy is the science of understanding the variations in the

successively layered character of rocks and their composition. These rocks
may be sedimentary, volcanic, metamorphic or igneous (see Figure 1).

Principle of Superposition: Nicolaus Steno, a Danish anatomist, geologist,

and priest (1636 - 1686) observed the changes in a sequence of rock layers
while working in the mountains of Italy. Steno's observations became known as
the Law of Superposition which simply stated that in a sequence of
sedimentary rock layers, each layer of rock is older than the layer above it and
younger than the rock layer below it (see Figure 2).

5
 Source. Source: https://b.kisscc0.com/20180813/xce/kisscc0-law-of-
https://www.slideshare.net/gauravhtandon1/stratigraphy superposition-geology-superposition-princip-superposition-
5b71941e55df49.5256776815341701423517.png
Figure 1. Layering of rocks as described by
Stratigraphy. Figure 2. Layering of rocks from oldest to
youngest described by principle of superposition.

Principle of Original Horizontality: Layers of rocks deposited from above,

such as sediments and lava flows, are originally laid down horizontally. The
exception to this principle is at the margins of basins, where the strata can
slope slightly downward into the basin (see Figure 3).

Principle of Lateral Continuity: Within the depositional basin, strata are

continuous in all directions until they thin out at the edge of that basin. Of
course, all strata eventually end, either by hitting a geographic barrier, such
as a ridge, or when the depositional process extends too far from its source,
either a sediment source or a volcano. Strata that are cut by a canyon later
remain continuous on either side of the canyon (see Figure 4).

Source: Source: https://b.kisscc0.com/20180813/xce/kisscc0-law-of-

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=principle+of superposition-geology-superposition-princip-superposition-
+original+horizontality%3a&form=HDRSC3&first=1&sce
5b71941e55df49.5256776815341701423517.png
nario=ImageBasicHover

Figure 4. Layering of rocks from oldest to youngest

Figure 3. Principle of Original horizontality
describe by principle of superposition.
statesPrinciple
that layers ofof Cross-
sediments deposited
horizontally under action of gravity

6
 Cutting Relationships: Deformation events like folds, faults and igneous
intrusions that cut across rocks are younger than the rocks they cut across (see
Figure 5).

Principle of Inclusions: When one rock formation contains pieces or

inclusions of another rock, the included rock is older than the host rock (see
Figure 6).

Source: http://geologikita.blogspot.com/2009/11/prinsip-dasar- Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/10988275/

geologi-dalam-penentuan.html.

Figure 6. Principle of inclusion

Figure 5. Principle of cross-cutting relationship

Principle of Fossil Succession: Evolution has produced a succession of

unique fossils that correlate to the units of the geologic time scale.
Assemblages of fossils contained in strata are unique to the time they lived and
can be used to correlate rocks of the same age across a wide geographic
distribution. Assemblages of fossils refer to groups of several unique fossils
occurring together (see Figure 7).

Source.
https://www.google.com/search?q=index+fossils+table&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiktfGom4HrAh
WzJaYKHTHYDwgQ_AUoAXoECA0QAw&biw=1349&bih=603#imgrc=GVKYlALKYRvjFM

Figure 7. Principle of Fossil Succession.

7
 Relative dating principles was how scientists interpreted Earth history
until the end of the 19th Century. Because science advances as technology
advances, the discovery of radioactivity in the late 1800s provided scientists
with a new scientific tool called radioisotopic dating. Using this new
technology, they could assign specific time units, in this case years, to mineral
grains within a rock. These numerical values are not dependent on
comparisons with other rocks such as with relative dating, so this dating
method is called absolute dating. In other words, absolute dating is
determining the actual age of an event or object in years. It is like saying, you
are 17 years old and your granny is 67 years old. With absolute age dating,
you get a real age in actual years.

There are several types of absolute dating but let us focus on a few of
the common methods here.

Absolute dating is based either on fossils which are recognized to

represent a particular interval of time, or on radioactive decay of specific
isotopes. Scientists often use radioactive isotopes (atoms of the same element
that have a different number of neutrons) to find the absolute age of rocks
and other materials. Fossils the age of sedimentary rock can be determined
using fossils.

Sedimentary rock layers and the fossils within them cannot be dated
directly. But igneous rock layers on either side of a fossil layer can be dated
radiometrically. Once the older and younger rock layers are dated, scientists
can assign an absolute age range to the sedimentary rock layer containing
the fossils.

Index fossils are fossils used to estimate the absolute age of the rock
layers in which they are found. Once the absolute age of an index fossil is
known, it can be used to determine the age of rock layers containing the same
fossil anywhere on Earth.

Here are some characteristics of an index fossil:

✓ The organism from which it formed must have lived during a

relatively short geologic time span.

✓ It must be relatively common and must be found over a large area.
✓ It must also have features that make them different from other fossils.

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 Table 1: Common Index Fossils

Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=index+fossils+images&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiTm5f-m4HrAhX6zIsBHReCDCsQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=index+fossils+images&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQGDoCCAA6BAgAEB46BggAEAUQHlDSoQRYvr0EYMi-
BGgAcAB4AIABdYgBjg2SAQQ0LjEymAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=EygpX9PFJ_qZr7wPl4Sy2AI&bih=603&biw
=1349#imgrc=PQuIG6FuycHcvM&imgdii=PL_PDg5a6BEU-M

Index fossils act as markers for the time that the organisms were alive on
Earth. Index fossils can also be used to date rocks in separate areas. The
appearance of the same index fossil in rock of different areas shows that the
rock layers formed at about the same time.

➢ Radioactive Decay and Half life

The absolute age of rock can be determined using radioactive decay.

Radioactive
isotopes are isotopes that
are unstable and break
down into other isotopes
by a process called
radioactive decay (shown
in the figure below). The
radioactive isotope is
called the parent isotope,
and the stable isotope
formed by its breakdown is
called the daughter Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=half+life+geology&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjU0oCil77qAhVK
isotope. bJQKHaD7CdEQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=half+life+geology&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgQIABAYMgQIABAY
OgQIABBDUKYfWLQwYJI1aABwAHgAgAHhAYgBmwiSAQUwLjcuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXo
taW1n&sclient=img&ei=igIGX9TlB8rY0QSg96eIDQ&bih=564&biw=1366#imgrc=717kWcBh3nkU
HM&imgdii=DP-ZOv3_bKsFkM

Figure 8: Radioactive Decay

9
 Half-life is the time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive element
to undergo radioactive decay and form daughter isotopes. After one half-life
has passed, one-half of the parent isotope has changed into daughter
isotopes (shown in table 2 below).

Table 2: Isotopes and Half-life of some elements

Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=half+life+geology&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjU0oCil77qAhVKbJQKHaD7CdEQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=half+life+geology&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgQIABAYMgQIABAYOgQIABBDUKYfWLQwYJI1aABwAHg
AgAHhAYgBmwiSAQUwLjcuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=igIGX9TlB8rY0QSg96eIDQ&bih=564&biw=1366

Finding the absolute age of a sample by determining the relative

percentages of a radioactive parent isotope and a stable daughter isotope is
called radiometric dating. Igneous rocks are the best types of rock samples to
use for radiometric dating. When igneous rocks form, minerals in them often
contain only a parent isotope and none of the daughter isotope.

Scientists use many different isotopes for radiometric dating. The type of
isotope used depends on the type of material being dated. The half-life of the
isotope used is also very important. It cannot be too short or too long
compared to the age of the sample.

Radiocarbon dating is a
method used for dating wood,
bones, shells, and other organic
remains. All living things have a
constant ratio of radioactive carbon-
14 to carbon-12.
Once a plant or an animal
dies, no more carbon is taken in. The
ratio between the isotopes changes
because carbon-14 undergoes
radioactive decay. Radiocarbon
dating can be used to date organic
matter only. This method is used to
date things that lived in the last Source: https://opentextbc.ca/chemistry/chapter/21-3-
45,000 years. radioactive-decay/

Figure 9: Radioactive decay in plants and animals

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 Performance Task

Apply the principles in determining the age of the rock using relative dating
method. Copy and answer in your notebook.

A. Directions: Determine the age of the given layers of the rocks as shown in
the Relative Age Rock Diagram below by indicating numbers 1-10 in the empty
circles (1 being the bottom layer).

B. Directions. Read the guide questions below. Refer to your labeled answers
in part A. In accomplishing part B, write the answers in your notebook.

1. What layer number is the first? ____ Color? ______

2. What layer number is the last? ____ Color? ______
3. What layer number is the “oldest” in the sequence? _____ Color? ______
4. What is the overall sequence of events if there was no disturbance (from
the oldest to youngest)? Write the number and color sequence.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________

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III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Part 1. Identification

Directions. Study how to determine the relative age of rock diagram below.
List the rock layers in order at the bottom of the diagram on the lines provided
from most recent at the top to the oldest at the bottom. Answer in your
notebook.

Source:https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1486-absolute-
dating#:~:text=Geologists%20often%20need%20to%20know,geological%20events%20in%20time%20order

List the rocks from oldest to most recently formed.

Most recent rock formed: _______________________

_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Oldest rock: _______________________

Part 2. Short answer.

Directions. Write your own understanding in 3-4 sentences of the

following terms. You will be rated using the rubric provided.
1. Absolute dating
2. Principle of Superposition
3. Radiocarbon dating
4. Index fossils
5. Principle of Original Horizontality
6.

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Rubrics:
4 3 2 1
Presented an idea but
Presented a strong Presented a
may not reflect Does not present an
understanding of the understanding of the
understanding of the idea of the topic
topic topic
topic
The errors in
punctuation,
Spelling and Spelling and There are many errors in
capitalization and
punctuation are all punctuation are mostly spelling, capitalization
spelling disrupt
correct correct and punctuation
understanding of the
topic

13
REFERENCES

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/07%3A_Geologic_Time/7.02%3A_Absolute_Dating

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Common Isotope pairs chart. Retrieved July 2, 2020 from

https://www.google.com/search?q=half+life+geology&tbm=isch&ved=2
ahUKEwjU0oCil77qAhVKbJQKHaD7CdEQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=half+life+geology&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAgg
AMgQIABAYMgQIABAYOgQIABBDUKYfWLQwYJI1aABwAHgAgAHhAYgB
mwiSAQUwLjcuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=igI
GX9TlB8rY0QSg96eIDQ&bih=564&biw=1366#imgrc=717kWcBh3nkUHM&im
gdii=DP-ZOv3_bKsFkM

Dating fossils- how are fossils dated? Retrieved July 2, 2020 from
https://www.fossilera.com/pages/dating-
fossils#:~:text=Absolute%20Dating-
,Absolute%20dating%20is%20used%20to%20determine%20a%20precise%2
0age%20of,rocks%20they%20are%20found%20in.

Geologic dating explained. Retrieved June 30, 2020 from

https://www.kidsdiscover.com/teacherresources/geologic-age-dating-
explained/
Index Fossils illustration. Retrieved July 6,2020 from
https://www.google.com/search?q=index+fossils+images&tbm=isch&ved
=2ahUKEwiTm5f-m4HrAhX6zIsBHReCDCsQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=index+fossils+images&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIECAAQ
GDoCCAA6BAgAEB46BggAEAUQHlDSoQRYvr0EYMi-
BGgAcAB4AIABdYgBjg2SAQQ0LjEymAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAA
QE&sclient=img&ei=EygpX9PFJ_qZr7wPl4Sy2AI&bih=603&biw=1349#imgrc
=PQuIG6FuycHcvM&imgdii=PL_PDg5a6BEU-M
Introduction Stratigraphy. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from
http://www.sepmstrata.org/page.aspx?pageid=15#:~:text=Stratigraphy%
20is%20the%20science%20of,%2C%20volcanic%2C%20metamorphic%20o
r%20igneous.

Law of cross-cutting relationships image. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from

https://imnh.iri.isu.edu/exhibits/online/geo_time/geo_principles.htm
14
Principle of inclusion image. Retrieved July 7, 2020 from
https://www.google.com/search?q=principle+of+inclusion+geology&tb
m=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjg8MSonb3qAhWGAaYKHdEBCOQQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=principle+of+inclusion&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgBMgII
ADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADoECA
AQQzoFCAAQsQNQjqeTCliw35MKYIP0kwpoAHAAeASAAYcDiAH9HZIBCD
AuMjQuMi4xmAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWewAQA&sclient=img&ei=q
oIFX-DzKoaDmAXRg6CgDg&bih=613&biw=1366#imgrc=jhYXBRL4SOjCAM

Principles of Geology. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from

https://timescavengers.blog/introductory-material/geologic-
time/principles-of-geology/
Principle of Succession illustration. Retrieved July 7, 2020 from
https://www.google.com/search?q=index+fossils+table&source=lnms&tb
m=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiktfGom4HrAhWzJaYKHTHYDwgQ_AUoAXoE
CA0QAw&biw=1349&bih=603#imgrc=GVKYlALKYRvjFM

Radioactive decay and half-life table. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from

https://www.google.com/search?q=half+life+geology&tbm=isch&ved=2
ahUKEwjU0oCil77qAhVKbJQKHaD7CdEQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=half+life+geology&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAgg
AMgQIABAYMgQIABAYOgQIABBDUKYfWLQwYJI1aABwAHgAgAHhAYgB
mwiSAQUwLjcuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=igI
GX9TlB8rY0QSg96eIDQ&bih=564&biw=1366

Radiocarbon dating illustration. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Furman_University/CHM101%3A_Che
mistry_and_Global_Awareness_(Gordon)/05%3A_Basics_of_Nuclear_Scie
nce/5.07%3A_Calculating_Half-Life

Relative and absolute dating. Retrieved June 29, 2020 from

https://opentextbc.ca/chemistry/chapter/21-3-radioactive-decay/

Relative and absolute dating. Retrieved June 29, 2020

https://geo.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Geology/Book%3A_An_Introductio
n_to_Geology_(Johnson%2C_Affolter%2C_Inkenbrandt%2C_and_Mosher)
/07%3A_Geologic_Time/7.01%3A_Relative_Dating#3

Steno’s Law of Stratigraphy illustration. Retrieved July 6, 2020 from

https://kids.britannica.com/students/assembly/view/199325

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https://www.google.com/search?q=stratigraphy&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUK
Ewjb9ZHjnL3qAhWHzYsBHex7C1cQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=stratigraphy&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgII
ADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAA6BggAEAcQHjoGCA
15
 AQChAYUPLUCFjV1whgkt8IaABwAHgAgAF8iAHkApIBAzAuM5gBAKABAa
oBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img&ei=GYIFX5uFCoebr7wP7PetuAU&bih
=613&biw=1366#imgrc=LVaHiLC6Ymp5DM

Stratigraphy image. Retrieved July 7, 2020 from

https://www.google.com/search?q=stratigraphy&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUK
Ewjb9ZHjnL3qAhWHzYsBHex7C1cQ2cCegQIABAA&oq=stratigraphy&gs_lc
p=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAgg
AMgIIADICCAA6BggAEAcQHjoGCAAQChAYUPLUCFjV1whgkt8IaABwAH
gAgAF8iAHkApIBAzAuM5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img
&ei=GYIFX5uFCoebr7wP7PetuAU&bih=613&biw=1366#imgrc=l9YnnfU4mT
_dTM&imgdii=FcQpxnmUmfDdZM

The Law of Superposition image. Retrieved July 7, 2020 from

https://www.google.com/search?q=stratigraphy&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUK
Ewjb9ZHjnL3qAhWHzYsBHex7C1cQ2cCegQIABAA&oq=stratigraphy&gs_lc
p=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgIIADICCAAyAgg
AMgIIADICCAA6BggAEAcQHjoGCAAQChAYUPLUCFjV1whgkt8IaABwAH
gAgAF8iAHkApIBAzAuM5gBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1n&sclient=img
&ei=GYIFX5uFCoebr7wP7PetuAU&bih=613&biw=1366#imgrc=l9YnnfU4mT
_dTM&imgdii=FcQpxnmUmfDdZM

16
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Division of Negros Oriental

SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V

Schools Division Superintendent

FAY C. LUAREZ, TM, EDD, PHD

OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Acting CID Chief

NILITA L. RAGAY, EDD

OIC-Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMDS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
PSDS – Division Science Coordinator

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMER L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

BERNADETTE NOVEM I. SARDON

Writer

NOELYN E. SIAPNO
Lay-out Artist
_____________

ALPHA QA TEAM
LIEZEL A. AGOR
MARY JOYCEN A. ALAM-ALAM
EUFRATES G. ANSOK JR.
JOAN Y. BUBULI
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO
BETA QA TEAM
JOAN Y. BUBULI
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
MIEL C. PACULANANG
ARJIE T. PALUMPA

DISCLAIMER
The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide accessible
learning modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The contents of this module
are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set learning competencies. The writers
and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to information and illustrations used to substantiate this
material. All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written
consent from the division.

17
SYNOPSIS
Geologic age dating is assigning
an age to rocks and other organic
materials. There are two types of age
determinations- relative and absolute
dating.
Relative dating is the process of
determining if one rock or geologic
event is older or younger than
another, without knowing their specific
ages. While absolute dating is
determining the actual age of an
event or object in years.
There are guiding principles in
determining the age of rocks in
relative dating. These are the law of
superposition, original horizontality,
cross-cutting relationships, lateral
continuity, inclusions of rocks and fossil
succession.
Some of the methods also used
are absolute dating- radioactive
decay, index fossils, determining half-
life, and the commonly used carbon
dating.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BERNADETTE NOVEM I. SARDON is a licensed Professional
Teacher. She is a graduate of University of San Carlos with the
degree of Bachelor of Science in Biology. She is currently
teaching at San Miguel National High School as a Senior High
teacher, at the same time the Teacher-in-Charge of the same
school. She has earned units in Masters in Biology and Master
of Education major in Guidance and Psychology.

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