Relative Dating Practice

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What is an index fossil?

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An index fossil is a fossil that is used to define and identify a particular time period in the geological time scale. It must have lived for a relatively short period of time and be widely distributed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

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What does the principle of Original Horizontality state?

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The principle of Original Horizontality states that layers of sediments are originally deposited horizontally under the action of gravity before they are disturbed by folding or tilting.

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What is the principle of Superposition?

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The principle of Superposition states that in an undeformed sequence of sedimentary rocks, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

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What does Cross-cutting Relationships indicate?

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Cross-cutting Relationships indicate that a geological feature (like a fault or intrusion) that cuts through another feature is younger than the feature it cuts.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

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What is Lateral Continuity?

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Lateral Continuity is the principle that layers of sediment initially extend laterally in all directions; they may be laterally continuous even if they are separated by erosion or other geological processes.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

How do geologists determine the relative ages of rock layers?

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Geologists determine the relative ages of rock layers by applying principles such as Superposition, Original Horizontality, Cross-cutting Relationships, and Lateral Continuity.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

Front

What is the significance of a fault in relative dating?

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A fault is significant in relative dating because it is always younger than the rocks it cuts through, helping geologists establish a timeline of geological events.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the order of rocks from oldest to youngest in a sequence labeled A, B, C, D, E?

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The order of rocks from oldest to youngest is determined by applying the principles of relative dating, such as Superposition.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the role of sedimentary layers in relative dating?

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Sedimentary layers provide a chronological record of geological history, allowing geologists to interpret the sequence of events that occurred over time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What does the term 'geological time scale' refer to?

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The geological time scale is a system of chronological dating that relates geological strata to time, used by geologists and other Earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships of events in Earth's history.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4