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. Third, magnetism in rocks can be used to estimate the age of a fossil site.

What is numerical dating and how is it used?

Geologists often need to know the age of material that they find. They use absolute dating methods, sometimes called numerical dating, to give rocks an actual date, or date range, in numbers of years. This is different to relative dating, which only puts geological events in time order.

What is the difference between relative dating methods and numerical dating methods?

Unlike relative dating, which only tells us the age of rock A compared to rock B, numerical dating tells us the age of rock A in x number of years.

What are the characteristics of relative dating?

Principles of relative datingUniformitarianism. Intrusive relationships. Cross-cutting relationships. Inclusions and components. Original horizontality. Superposition. Faunal succession. Lateral continuity.More items