Relative vs Absolute Age Flashcard Review

Front

What does the law of superposition state?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What are index fossils used for?

Back

Index fossils help determine the relative age of rock layers by correlating them across different locations.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is the Principle of Superposition?

Back

The principle that in an undisturbed sequence of rock layers, the oldest layer is at the bottom.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is radioactive dating?

Back

A method used by geologists to determine the absolute age of rocks by measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What is a half-life?

Back

The time it takes for a radioactive isotope to decay to half of its original mass.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What is relative age dating?

Back

A method of determining the age of rocks and fossils in relation to one another, without determining their exact age.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Front

What is absolute age dating?

Back

A method of determining the exact age of a rock or fossil, often using techniques like radioactive dating.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What is an index fossil?

Back

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 is the significance of the half-life in radioactive dating?

Back

Half-life is crucial for calculating the age of rocks and fossils by determining how many half-lives have passed since the organism died.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Front

What are unconformities in geology?

Back

Unconformities are gaps in the geological record that occur when rock layers are eroded or not deposited for a period of time.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4