RELATIVE DATING LAB
Submission Information Name: Date:
Objective To identify the sequence of events when viewing a rock outcrop
Materials • Cross Sections I, II, III (appended to this worksheet) • (Optional) Printer & pencil if it helps you to label on paper
Procedure 1. Read through all steps in the Procedure, and complete the Purpose section. 2. Determine the sequence of events for Cross Section I and list them in order from oldest to most recent in the Data section labeled Cross Section I. 3. Determine the sequence of events for Cross Section II and list them in order from oldest to most recent in the Data section labeled Cross Section II. 4. Determine the sequence of events for Cross Section III and list them in order from oldest to most recent in the Data section labeled Cross section III. 5. Answer the Observation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Application questions. 6. Save your work and upload your lab worksheet to Canvas.
Purpose (5 pts) Write a 1 sentence purpose statement for this lab.
1 Data For each cross section below, determine the sequence of events and list them in order from oldest to most recent.
Cross Section I
List the sequence of events from oldest to youngest (most recent) using the letters A–E on Cross Section I. (2 pts per each blank = 10 pts total)
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cross-section_of_sedimentary_layers.png / http://cafreetextbooks.ck12.org/science/CK12_Earth_Science_rev.pdf
List the sequence from oldest to youngest below:
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .
2 Cross Section II
List the sequence of events from oldest to youngest (most recent) using the letters A–G on Cross Section II. (27 pts) NOTE: The letters ‘A’ and ‘F’ are referring to faults on the cross section. NOTE: Erosion and Folding are not indicated by a letter, but should be included somewhere in your answer. (3 pts per each blank = 27 pts total)
List the sequence from oldest to youngest below:
1. . 6. .
2. . 7. .
3. . 8. .
4. . 9. .
5. .
3 Cross Section III
List the sequence of these events from oldest to youngest (most recent) depicted in Cross Section III according to the Word Bank below: (3 pts per blank = 39 pts total)
Word Bank
Batholith Deposition of Rock Fault 2 Deposition of Rock Layer D Folding Layer A Deposition of Rock Sill Layer E Deposition of Rock Unconformity Layer B Dike Deposition of Rock Erosion Layer C Fault 1
List the sequence from oldest to youngest below:
1. . 6. . 11. .
2. . 7. . 12. .
3. . 8. . 13. .
4. . 9. .
5. . 10. .
4 Observation & Analysis Please state your answers in 2-3 sentences.
1. Choose two of the geologic events in Cross Section I and explain how you knew where to place them relative to the other rock layers. (3 pts)
2. Explain how you knew where to place the dike (D) in the sequence of events in Cross Section II. (3 pts)
3. Explain how you decided where to place Fault 1 relative to Fault 2 in the sequence of events in Cross Section III. (3 pts)
Conclusion
1. Did you have any difficulty placing the sequence of events in order? Why or why not? (4 pts)
2. Which of the three laws (Law of Superposition, Law of Original Horizontality, Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships) was most helpful to you in identifying the sequence of events in each of the three cross sections? Why? (4 pts)
5 Application (2 pts) Locate the image near the top of the article entitled More and More Wrong Dates. You do not have to read the article, but notice where the author has drawn attention to the Cardenas Basalt layer and the basaltic lava flows of the Uinkerat Plateau with red arrows. This image depicts a cross section of the Grand Canyon. Many conventional scientists rely on radiometric dating as evidence that the rocks on Earth are millions of years old. Some Young-Earth Creation scientists did a test on the radiometric dates for the Cardenas Basalts positioned way down deep in the Grand Canyon and the basaltic lava flows on top. The creationists were convinced that the tests conventional scientists use are flawed. As it turned out, one of the tests incorrectly determined that the basaltic lava flows on top were older in age than the Cardenas basalts on the bottom! If these dates were accurate, which relative dating law would be broken in this situation?
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