What is the law of crosscutting?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for an explanation of the law of crosscutting, which is a geological principle used to determine the relative ages of rock layers and geological features.
Answer
The geologic feature which cuts another is younger.
The law of cross-cutting relationships states that the geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features.
Answer for screen readers
The law of cross-cutting relationships states that the geologic feature which cuts another is the younger of the two features.
More Information
This principle is a key tool used in geology for determining the relative ages of rock formations and features.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the feature that is cut with the feature doing the cutting. Remember, the cutter is always younger.
Sources
- The Laws of Superposition and Cross-Cutting Relations - USGS.gov - pubs.usgs.gov
- Reading the Rocks: Law of Crosscutting | The Happy Scientist - thehappyscientist.com
- Cross-cutting relationships - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
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