Fossils can help to match rocks of the same age, even when you find those rocks a long way apart. This matching process is called correlation, which has been an important process in constructing geological timescales. Fossils in some of the rocks can be correlated to help combine these sequences into longer ones.

What role did dating fossils and rocks play in identifying the age of Earth?

Fossils are important evidence for evolution because they show that life on earth was once different from life found on earth today. Paleontologists can determine the age of fossils using methods like radiometric dating and categorize them to determine the evolutionary relationships between organisms.

How do scientists use fossils to date rock layers?

Radiometric dating. Geologists use radiometric dating to estimate how long ago rocks formed, and to infer the ages of fossils contained within those rocks. So in order to date most older fossils, scientists look for layers of igneous rock or volcanic ash above and below the fossil.

Why is the fossil record important?

The fossil record helps paleontologists, archaeologists, and geologists place important events and species in the appropriate geologic era. With every new fossil discovery, our understanding of the environment in a particular time becomes richer.

What are the different process for dating of fossils?

There are two main methods determining a fossils age, relative dating and absolute dating. Relative dating is used to determine a fossils approximate age by comparing it to similar rocks and fossils of known ages.

What can fossils tell us?

Fossils are the remains or traces of ancient life that are usually buried in rocks. Examples include bones, teeth, shells, leaf impressions, nests, and footprints. This evidence reveals what our planet was like long ago. Fossils also show how animals changed over time and how they are related to one another.