Relative Dating and Index Fossils

Front

What is relative dating?

Back

Relative dating is a method used to determine the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another, without determining their exact age.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What marks the end of an Era in geological time?

Back

A Mass Extinction.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

Which layer is typically the oldest in a sequence of rock layers?

Back

The bottom layer is usually the oldest.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is an index fossil?

Back

An index fossil is a fossil that is used to define and identify a particular time period in the geological time scale.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What are the characteristics of a good index fossil?

Back

A good index fossil must be widespread, abundant, and have lived for a relatively short period of time.

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

Front

Why is fossil #4 not a good index fossil?

Back

It is not short-lived (in numerous layers).

Front

What does it mean if a fossil is widespread?

Back

It means the fossil is found in many different geographic locations.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

What is the significance of mass extinctions in geological history?

Back

Mass extinctions mark significant changes in biodiversity and can lead to the emergence of new species.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Front

How can scientists use index fossils to date rock layers?

Back

Scientists can correlate the age of rock layers by identifying the same index fossils in different locations.

Front

What is the principle of superposition?

Back

In an undisturbed sequence of rocks, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4