Question

What is the difference between absolute and relative dating

for archaeological
interpretations?
A) Absolute dating gives a specific date - like August 22,
2016; relative dating just says it was sometime in 2016, for example.
B) Relative dating gives something a place in time between other things.
Absolute dating tells how many years old something is.
C) Only human remains can be dated with absolute dating.
All other artifacts
must be dated with relative dating methods.
D) Relative dating is only stratigraphic. Absolute dating uses all
other methods listed,
such as seriation and thermoluminescence.

Answer 1

Absolute dating provides a specific date, while relative dating gives a general place in time. Absolute dating methods use physical and chemical properties, while relative dating relies on stratigraphy and indicator artifacts.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference between absolute and relative dating in archaeological interpretations is that absolute dating provides a specific date, while relative dating only gives a place in time between other events. Absolute dating methods use physical and chemical properties of artifacts to establish their age without reference to other artifacts. For example, radiocarbon dating is a common absolute dating method that determines the approximate age of organic materials. On the other hand, relative dating relies on the observation of stratigraphy, which involves determining the relative age of artifacts based on their position in soil layers and the presence of indicator artifacts.