Evidence About Earth’s Past (Book)

The study of rock strata is called stratigraphy. The laws of stratigraphy can help scientists understand Earth’s past. The laws of stratigraphy are usually credited to a geologist from Denmark named Nicolas Steno. He lived in the 1600s. The laws are illustrated in Figure. Refer to the figure as you read about the laws below

Laws of Stratigraphy.

This diagram illustrates the laws of stratigraphy.

A = Law of Superposition

B = Law of Lateral Continuity

C = Law of Original Horizontality

D = Law of Cross-Cutting Relationships