Unit 2 - Paleontology Review

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Catastrophism

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(Archbishop James Ussher) Earth’s landscapes have been developed primarily by great catastrophes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

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Uniformitarianism

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(James Hutton) The physical, chemical, and biological laws that operate today have also operated in the geologic past.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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Unconformity

Back

A break in the fossil rock record that represent gaps of time that have been eroded away (signified by a wavy line between rock layers). Can be either a disconformity, nonconformity, or angular unconformity.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Disconformity

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A break in the fossil record between two different layers of flat sedimentary rock.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Nonconformity

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A break in the fossil record between layers of sedimentary rock on top of igneous or metamorphic rock beneath it.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Angular Unconformity

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A break in the fossil record between flat layers of sedimentary rock on top of angled layers of sedimentary rock beneath it.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Geologic Time Scale

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The complete history of earth divided into Epochs > Eras > Periods.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Radiometric/Absolute Dating

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Pinpointing the exact age of igneous rock samples using the known ratio of parent/daughter isotopes in samples.

Front

Relative Dating

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Looking at rock layers or events in their proper sequence of formation - cannot determine EXACT age from relative dating alone.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

Law of Original Horizontality

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All layers of sedimentary rock must have been originally laid perfectly flat with no disturbances (tilting, fault lines, intrusions). Any time we see disturbed layers, we know that whatever is disturbing the layer must have occurred AFTER its original formation.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2