Fossil Record 2024

Front

What is uniformitarianism?

Back

The principle that geologic processes occurring today are similar to those that occurred in the past.

Front

What is the Law of Superposition?

Back

In a sequence of rock layers, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and the younger rocks are at the top.

Front

What are index fossils?

Back

Fossils that are used to define and identify a particular time period in the geologic time scale.

Front

Why are trilobites considered good index fossils?

Back

They were abundant, widespread geographically, and lived for a short time.

Front

What is a parent isotope?

Back

An unstable isotope that decays into a stable daughter isotope over time.

Front

What is catastrophism?

Back

The theory that Earth's features are shaped by sudden, short-lived, and violent events.

Front

What is correlation in geology?

Back

The process of matching rocks and fossils from separate locations to establish their age and history.

Front

What is the significance of fossil records?

Back

Fossil records provide evidence of past life and help scientists understand the history of life on Earth.

Front

What does it mean if a rock layer is described as 'younger'?

Back

It means that the rock layer was formed after the layers below it.

Front

What is radiometric dating?

Back

A method used to date materials by comparing the abundance of a radioactive isotope to its decay products.