Question

this image shows a diagonal stripe of granite passing upward through layers of rock. is this granite older or younger than the rock it passes through? how do you know?

Explanation:

The granite is younger than the surrounding rock layers. This is determined by the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships, which states that any geologic feature that cuts through another feature must be younger than the feature it cuts through. The granite stripe cuts across the pre-existing rock layers, so it formed after those layers were deposited.

Answer:

The granite is younger than the rock layers it passes through. This is known via the Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships: a feature that cuts through existing rock formations must be younger than the formations it disrupts, as the layers had to first form before the granite could intrude and cut through them.