Table of Contents
- 1 How does the law of crosscutting explain the age of a rock?
- 2 How does the law of crosscutting relationships help scientists determine the relative age of rocks?
- 3 How do isotopes help in determining the exact numerical age of rocks?
- 4 How do geologists use the law of superposition and the law of crosscutting relationships to determine the relative ages of disrupted or eroded rock layers?
- 5 What do the law of superposition helps in determining of rocks?
How does the law of crosscutting explain the age of a rock?
Described by Scotsman James Hutton (1726 – 1997), the Law of Crosscutting Relationships stated that if a fault or other body of rock cuts through another body of rock then it must be younger in age than the rock through which it cuts and displaces.
How does the law of crosscutting relationships help scientists determine the relative age of rocks?
By using superposition and cross cutting relationships, geologists can determine relative ages of rocks. This means they can determine which rocks are older and which are younger, but not the exact ages of the rocks. An example would be a fault that cuts through some layers of rocks.
How does the law of crosscutting relationships explain the age of a fault in a rock layer sequence?
The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that a fault or intrusion is younger than the rocks that it cuts through. The principle of superposition states that the oldest sedimentary rock units are at the bottom, and the youngest are at the top. Based on this, layer C is oldest, followed by B and A.
How does the law of crosscutting explain the age of a fault?
The principle of cross-cutting relationships states that a fault or intrusion is younger than the rocks that it cuts through. The fault cuts through all three sedimentary rock layers (A, B, and C) and also the intrusion (D). So the fault must be the youngest feature.
How do isotopes help in determining the exact numerical age of rocks?
Isotopes are important to geologists because each radioactive element decays at a constant rate, which is unique to that element. These rates of decay are known, so if you can measure the proportion of parent and daughter isotopes in rocks now, you can calculate when the rocks were formed.
How do geologists use the law of superposition and the law of crosscutting relationships to determine the relative ages of disrupted or eroded rock layers?
Explanation: The law of superposition logically states that the strata at a lower level is older than the strata above it. The cross cutting is younger than the strata that it cuts through. If the cross cutting is “cut” off at an higher level it indicates a period of erosion.
How does the law of crosscutting relationships explain the age of a fault caused by an earthquake *?
Q. How does the law of crosscutting relationships explain the age of a fault caused by an earthquake? The fault is older than the rocks it cuts through. The fault is younger than the rocks it cuts through.
How does the law of crosscutting explain the age of a fault Quizizz?
Q. How does the law of crosscutting explain the age of a fault? The fault is younger than the rocks above it. The fault is younger than the rocks it cuts through.
What do the law of superposition helps in determining of rocks?
The Law of Superposition is used in relative dating to determine the age of rock layers compared to other rock layers. Geologists also use this law to determine the history of geological events such as faulting, folding, intrusive activity, past volcanic eruptions, and erosion in rock layers.