Relative Dating
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Relative dating is the process of determining the age of a rock or fossil by comparing its position in relation to other rocks or fossils in a sequence. This method does not provide an exact age, but it can establish a timeline of events and the relative order of formation. Relative dating relies on principles such as superposition, original horizontality, cross-cutting relationships, and index fossils to determine the relative ages of rocks and fossils. By analyzing the layering and relationships between different rock strata or fossils, scientists can establish a relative chronology of events and understand the relative order in which they occurred.