ABSTRACT
The universe is the source of matter that makes up minerals, rocks, and life on Earth. The dating principle is based on the ratio of daughter atoms to parent atoms, which is determined by mass spectrometry. Age relations can be inferred from geologic relationships. Sediments are deposited in nearly horizontal layers in the same way as particles of sand in a beaker. In a sedimentary basin, recent contributions are deposited on top of older sediments. If a detrital rock contains particles from a recognizable rock, that rock predates the detrital rock. Paleontological dating is based on the fact that some biological species lived only during a certain period of time. If their fossilized remains are found in a rock, it signifies that the rock formed during this same period. Fossilization is a group of processes that slowly mineralize the components of living organisms and leave traces in rocks.
