Relative Age Dating
Principle of Horizontality:
States that rock layers form in the horizontal position,
and any deviations from this horizontal position are due to the rocks being
disturbed later.
Law of Superposition:
Layers of rock are arranged in a time sequence, with the
oldest on the bottom and the youngest on the top, unless later processes disturb
this arrangement.
Law of Cross-Cutting Relations:
The principle of cross-cutting relations states that an igneous intrusion or
fault that cuts across other rocks of any type is younger than the rocks
that are cut across. For magma to intrude into a body of rock, the body of rock
has to be in place before the magma can intrude into it. Similarly, rocks
that are displaced by movement along a fault have to be in place before
the movement that displaces them can occur.
