Drawbacks of relative dating methods Sediments are usually laid down in horizontal beds. Any observable tilting or swirling is due to disruption of the process. This should be reflected in the dating. Material that intrudes or cuts into a horizontal bed is assumed to be younger than the material that is disrupted.

What can relative dating not be used for?

Relative dating is used to arrange geological events, and the rocks they leave behind, in a sequence. The method of reading the order is called stratigraphy (layers of rock are called strata). Relative dating does not provide actual numerical dates for the rocks.