ELF files are Executable Linkable Format which consists of a symbol look-ups and relocatable table, that is, it can be loaded at any memory address by the kernel and automatically, all symbols used, are adjusted to the offset from that memory address where it was loaded into. Usually ELF files have a number of sections, such as 'data', 'text', 'bss', to name but a few...it is within those sections where the run-time can calculate where to adjust the symbol's memory references dynamically at run-time. Click here for getting more reference.