Which of the following is a method used in relative dating?

• A. Stratigraphy
• B. Radiocarbon dating
• C. Dendrochronology
• D. Potassium-argon dating

Answer: (C)

Determining the order of events without assigning exact numbers relies on how rocks and sediments are laid down over time. Stratigraphy does this by examining rock layers and their relationships to each other—which layer sits above or below another, how layers are cut by faults, and the fossils they contain—to establish a sequence of events. Dendrochronology uses tree rings to pinpoint specific calendar years for wood samples, giving exact dates, which makes it an absolute dating method rather than a relative one. Radiocarbon dating and potassium-argon dating also provide numerical ages, another form of absolute dating. So, for placing events in a relative timeline, stratigraphy is the method that fits.