Relative Dating of Fossils
Explore the principles of relative dating to understand the age of fossils and rock layers in this Grade 7 science worksheet.
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Relative Dating of Fossils
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will test your understanding of relative dating principles.
1. Relative dating helps scientists determine the age of rocks and fossils.
2. The principle of states that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom.
3. An fossil is a fossil that is widespread and existed for a relatively short period of geological time.
4. Which of the following is NOT a principle used in relative dating?
Principle of Superposition
Principle of Original Horizontality
Principle of Radioactive Decay
Principle of Faunal Succession
5. If a fault cuts through several rock layers, the fault is than the layers it cuts through.
older
younger
the same age
unrelated in age
6. Observe the image below showing sedimentary layers. Based on the Principle of Superposition, which layer is the oldest? Explain your reasoning.
7. Index fossils are useful for relative dating because they lived for a very long period of time.
True
False
8. The Principle of Original Horizontality states that sedimentary layers are originally deposited in horizontal layers.
True
False
Match the term on the left with its definition on the right.
9. Superposition
a. The process of determining the order of events without knowing their exact age.
10. Relative Dating
b. The idea that older rock layers are found below younger rock layers.
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