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Learning Targets

3b) I can describe the geologic laws of uniformitarianism, superposition, and original horizontality.

3c) I can use the geologic laws and cross cutting relationships to describe the sequence of events that lead to a particular rock record.

Essential Question

How do scientists use relative dating to build a model of

Earth’s history?

M. d’Alessio, 2004

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Originally Horizontal

OLDEROLDER

YOUNGERYOUNGER

Timing

Layers on top of layers

Watching Layers Form

es2903_p03_deposition.swf

Larry Ridenhour, BLM/Jennifer Loomis, TERChttp://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2903/es2903page03.cfm

Tilted Layers

USGS/Jennifer Loomis, TERCTilted limestone beds in the Mojave Desert, Californiahttp://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2903/es2903page04.cfm .

Watching Layers Tilt

Unconformity

Olympic Coast, Washington: 4th Beach near KalalochCopyright Patti Bleifusshttp://patti.tensegrity.net/album/hoh/images/unconformity.jpg

Unconformity

Fold

Fold

Marin Headlands, California -- Image from Roland Bürgmannhttp://www.seismo.berkeley.edu/~burgmann/EPS116/labs/marin2004/Fold%20-%20John%20R%202.JPG

USGS/Tom Grace, TERCFolded layers in the Sangre de Cristo Range of Colorado.http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2903/es2903page05.cfm?chapter_no=investigation

Watching Layers Fold

Cross CuttingGrand Canyon, Arizona -- Copyright Ramón Arrowsmith http://activetectonics.la.asu.edu/ramon/Images/Grand_Canyon/36grandcanyon.tif.jpg

Cross Cutting

MOST RECENT

Death Valley, CACopyright Marli MillerAGI Image Bank photo ha45z2 Zion, Utah

Copyright Marli MillerAGI Image Bank photo ha45jb

http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/jh/earth/sedimentary/lesson5/sedimentary5d.html

PROCESSPROCESS

ANCIENTANCIENTPRESENTPRESENT

“The present is the key to the past.”

James HuttonFamous Geologist

(lived 1726-1797)

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10c.html

Wind and Process

M. d’Alessio, 2004

Murder M

ystery