law of superposition: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	principle of superposition

Photos

Diagram explaining Steno's four laws of stratigraphy in geology, with labeled illustrations for the law of superposition, original horizontality, cross-cutting relationships, and lateral continuity, showing how rock layers form and are altered.

See All Images →

Topics

sequence determination relative dating