absolute dating is based on calculations of the age of rock strata based on half lives of minerals, relative dating is based on the assumed age of fossils found in the strata and the laws of super imposition.

What is the difference between absolute dating and relative dating?

What is the difference between relative and absolute age? Relative age is the age of a rock layer (or the fossils it contains) compared to other layers. Absolute age is the numeric age of a layer of rocks or fossils. Absolute age can be determined by using radiometric dating.