Lab: Relative dating of rock layers using fossils

Purpose: How are fossils used for the relative dating of rock layers?

Materials: Card Set A Pink (8 cards) – letter combinations

Card Set B Blue (9 cards) – fossil sketches
Card Set C Orange (8 cards) – fossil sketches
**The colors below may be different from your cards. Follow the examples you have/

Procedure for Card Set A: (your set will be Pink)

1. You have 8 blue cards below. Each letter represents a type of animal that lived during the
time period in which that layer was made.

2. Determine the correct sequence of the eight cards by comparing the letters on each card.
Through analysis, you have found the layer with TC is the OLDEST layer. The next rock layer
should include some, but not all, of the letters/animals from the oldest because some have
gone extinct. Place the matching rock layers above the oldest layer and continue matching
letters.

3. Have your teacher check your column before moving on.

BN
NO OXD
UBN DM
Analysis Questions for Card Set A:
1. Explain how you know which is the youngest rock layer.

_________________________________________________________ AU
_________________________________________________________ CGA
_________________________________________________________ TC
2. Explain how you know which is older, fossil X or fossil M?
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3. O, X, and D appear in the same rock layer. Does this mean that they existed at the same
time? How did you determine your answer?
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4. There are two O’s; one in NO and one in OXD. Explain the age relationship between the
these fossils.
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Procedure for Card Set B: (your set will be Blue)
1. Carefully examine the 2nd set of cards to arrange them in order from
oldest to youngest by comparing the fossils in each sample. Through
analysis, you have found that sample 2 is the oldest. Keep
comparing the type of fossils in each layer to get the correct order.

2. Line them up vertically; the same as you would find them in nature.
Remember that once an organism becomes extinct, it cannot
“reappear” in younger rocks.

3. List the sample numbers from oldest to youngest.

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____

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4. Have your teacher check your column before moving on.

Procedures for Card Set C:
1. Carefully examine the 3rd set of cards which have sketches of fossils on them. As in card set
B, each one represents a rock layer with fossils.

2. The oldest rock layer has the letter M in the lower left-hand corner. (The letters on the other
cards are used only to identify the layers.)

3. Using the same method as in sets A and B, determine the correct rock layer order from
oldest to youngest. Remember that extinction is forever, so if an organism disappears from
the sequence it cannot reappear later.

(Answer these analysis questions after moving the cards on the next page.)

Analysis Questions for Card Set C: (your set will be orange)

Fossils that are only present for a relatively short time in Earth's history are called index fossils,
because they will only appear in 1 layer of rock of a specific geologic age. They are used to
identify geologic periods of time because whenever they are found, scientists know the
approximate age of that rock.

1. Which card set was easier to put in sequence, Set B or Set C? Why?
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2. Which of the fossil organisms in Set C could be considered index fossils? Why?
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3. Choose three organisms that appear in more than 1 rock layer. Write the organism name,
the rock layer letters, and which layer is older.
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4. Explain what type of rock you would find the fossils from this activity? (Igneous,
Metamorphic, or Sedimentary)
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5. What is the Law of Superposition and how does this activity depend on this law?
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Procedure 4. (from previous page)
List the sample letters from oldest to youngest.

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Conclusion, CER: Write a conclusion answering the purpose (from the beginning of the lab) and
use evidence from this lab activity to support your answer.

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