Absolute dating is the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology. Absolute dating provides a numerical age or range, in contrast with relative dating, which places events in order without any measure of the age between events.

What is the importance of absolute dating?

With absolute age dating, scientists determine the absolute age of a rock in millions of years before present rather than just the age of the rock relative to the rock units around it. This information helps geologists develop more precise geological history models for the rocks and regions they study.