Unit 2- Earth and Geologic History Review 2024

Front

What is radiometric dating?

Back

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

Front

What information is needed for a scientist to use radiometric dating?

Back

The rate of decay for certain isotopes.

Front

What does the presence of a fern fossil in Antarctica suggest about the past climate?

Back

The fern fossil formed at a time when Antarctica was much warmer.

Front

How can fossils be used to compare strata from different continents?

Back

If the strata contained similar fossils, then they were from the same period of time.

Front

What does the existence of coal in the Arctic indicate about its past climate?

Back

The Arctic was warmer at some time in the past.

Front

What is the Principle of Original Horizontality?

Back

It states that all rock strata are horizontal when they are deposited.

Front

What is the Principle of Superposition?

Back

In an undeformed sequence of sedimentary rocks, the oldest layers are at the bottom.

Front

What is uniformitarianism?

Back

The principle that the same geological processes that operate today also operated in the past.

Front

What are fossils?

Back

Remains or traces of ancient organisms preserved in rock.

Front

What is stratigraphy?

Back

The study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification).