Question

A scientist wants to determine the age of a rock. The rock contains an index fossil and an ancient relative of a living organism. Which is more useful for dating the rock, and why?

Answer 1

For dating a rock, radiometric dating is more useful than relative dating as it provides a specific age in years, while relative dating only determines sequence without an exact age.

Step-by-step explanation:

A scientist determining the age of a rock can utilize two main methods: relative dating and absolute dating. Relative dating uses the sequence of rock layers to determine which fossils are older or younger but does not provide an age in years. However, if the rock contains an index fossil, which is a fossil known to have existed during a limited geological time range, it can be used for relative dating and to correlate the rock with other layers containing the same fossil.

The presence of an ancient relative of a livin organism in the rock can also assist with dating, but for precise dating, scientists would turn to radiometric dating, a form of absolute dating. This technique measures the decay rate of radioactive materials in the rock, giving a numerical age for the rock and the fossil it contains.

In conclusion, for dating a rock, absolute dating methods, like radiometric dating, are more useful because they provide a specific age in years. Whereas relative dating can only determine the sequence of events and is less precise in assigning an absolute age.

Answer 2

Answer: Ancient Relative of a living organism

Explanation: Ancient Relative because by using the index fossil, you are also using the law of superposition. This law does not give you an accurate/specific date but instead the order they are in (i.e me saying i am older than my siblings compared to me saying i am 2 years older than them). By using an ancient relative of a living thing then we can see its phylogenic tree and measure around how old it is. Fossils also hold carbon and chemicals in there bones which allows us to use carbon dating. Carbon dating is an accurate way of measuring age.