Relative Dating Assignment
Name:_______________________
Study Figure A
1. Were any of the rock layers deposited after the granite dike was formed? Explain.
2. What type of unconformity is shown? Is it possible that there were originally more
rock layers than shown here? Explain.
3. Based on the figure alone, do you know whether the shale was deposited before or
after the fault occurred? Assume that the layers have not been overturned.
4. Which rock layers show that this area was covered by an ocean? What rock was
formed from magma?
Use Figure B to answer these questions:
5. Is the igneous dike on the left older or younger that the unconformity nearest the
surface? Explain.
6. Are the two granite dikes shown the same age? How do you know?
7. Which two layers of rock may have been much thicker at one time than they are now?
8. On figure a. and b. below, write the relative age of each rock layer, igneous dike, fault
and unconformity. (Number what happened first, second, etc.)