Absolute dating vs relative dating armory not updating 4 2
Absolute dating is the process of determining a specific date for an archaeological or palaeontological site or artifact.Some archaeologists prefer the terms chronometric or calendar dating, as use of the word "absolute" implies a certainty and precision that is rarely possible in archaeology.One of the most widely used is potassium-argon dating (K-Ar dating).Potassium-40 is a radioactive isotope of potassium that breaks down into argon-40, a gas.
Absolute dating provides a numerical age for the material tested, while relative dating can only provide a sequence of age.
By measuring the proportion of carbon-14 in organic material, scientists can determine the date of death of the organic matter in an artifact or ecofact.
Because the half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years carbon dating is only reliable about up to 60,000 years, radiocarbon is less useful to date some recent sites. This technique usually cannot pinpoint the date of a site better than historic records.
Short Answer: Both relative dating and absolute dating are tools used to give temporal characteristics to a sequence of events.
Both are attempting to get information on the history of events.