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.Relative dating is used to determine a fossils approximate age by comparing it to similar rocks and fossils of known ages. Absolute dating

How is relative dating used to determine the age of rocks?

Relative dating puts geologic events in chronological order without requiring that a specific numerical age be assigned to each event. Second, it is possible to determine the numerical age for fossils or earth materials.

How is relative age used to determine the age of fossils?

Relative age dating tells us which fossils are older and which fossils are younger. It does not tell us the age of the fossils. To get an age in years, we use radiometric dating of the rocks. If rocks in different places contain the same fossil species, they must be similar in age.

How do relative and absolute dating determine the age of stratified rocks?

Methods to Determine the Age of Stratified Rocks There are two methods of determining the ages of rocks: relative dating and absolute dating. Relative dating is a method of arranging geological events based on the rock sequence. Absolute dating is a method that gives an actual date of the rock or period of an event.