Relative dating is common when comparing layers of rocks in different regions, and figuring out which fossil is older by comparing the rock layers the fossils are in. Absolute dating gives an actual date in history that the item was formed or died.

What procedure did you use to complete the relative and absolute dating lab?

What procedure did you use to complete the lab relative and absolute dating? In the lab, I used the law of superposition, the principle of cross-cutting relationships, and index fossils to determine the relative ages of rock layers. Then, I used a mass spectrometer to find the age and identity of an unknown fossil.