EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -To establish the age of a rock or a fossil, researchers use some type of clock to determine the date it was formed. Geologists commonly use radiometric dating methods, based on the natural radioactive decay of certain elements such as potassium and carbon, as reliable clocks to date ancient events.

Detailed explanation-2: -Relative dating is used to determine a fossils approximate age by comparing it to similar rocks and fossils of known ages. Absolute dating is used to determine a precise age of a fossil by using radiometric dating to measure the decay of isotopes, either within the fossil or more often the rocks associated with it.

Detailed explanation-3: -Relative age is the age of a rock layer (or the fossils it contains) compared to other layers. It can be determined by looking at the position of rock layers. Absolute age is the numeric age of a layer of rocks or fossils. Absolute age can be determined by using radiometric dating.

Detailed explanation-4: -Geologists use the law of superposition and law of original horizontality to determine the relative ages of sedimentary rock layers. According to the law of superposition, in horizontal sedimentary rock layers the oldest is at the bottom. Each higher layer is younger than the layer below it.