Which statement best defines relative dating?

• A. Absolute dating
• B. Relative dating
• C. Radiocarbon dating
• D. Thermoluminescence

Answer: (B)

Determining whether one rock or fossil is older than another without giving an exact date is relative dating. It relies on the arrangement and relationships in the rock record to establish the sequence of events. For example, in undisturbed sedimentary layers, the oldest material is at the bottom and younger layers pile up on top. Features that cut across rocks, like faults or molten intrusions, must be younger than the rocks they affect. Using index fossils and correlating rock layers across regions also helps place events in a relative order. This approach tells you who came first and who came later, not the actual number of years elapsed.

Absolute dating, such as radiocarbon dating, provides a numeric age, which is why those methods aren’t the same idea. Thermoluminescence also yields a quantitative age rather than a relative sequence.