Fossil Record

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Fossils Noun

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[fos-uhls]

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Fossils

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The preserved parts or traces of animals or plants that lived in the past, providing clues about ancient life.

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Example: Shows how animal remains become fossils over time in different earth layers.

Front

Inclusion fossils Noun

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[in-kloo-zhuhn fos-uhls]

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Inclusion fossils

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Fossils formed when an organism is trapped and preserved in a substance like ice or amber, often keeping tissues intact.

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Example: An insect trapped in amber, showing how organisms can be preserved as inclusion fossils.

Front

Mold fossils Noun

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[mohld fos-uhls]

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Mold fossils

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A fossilized impression made in sediment after a buried organism decays, leaving an empty space showing its shape.

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Example: The image shows a mold fossil, an impression left in rock after an organism decays.

Front

Petrification Noun

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[peh-trih-fi-kay-shuhn]

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Petrification

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The process by which organic material is converted into stone through the infiltration of water with dissolved minerals.

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Example: Petrified wood shows how minerals replace organic material, turning it into stone.

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Cast fossils Noun

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[kast fos-uhls]

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Cast fossils

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A type of fossil formed when a mold is filled with minerals that harden, creating a solid replica of the organism.

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Example: The image shows a mold and a cast fossil, explaining how a cast forms when a mold is filled with minerals.

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Trace fossils Noun

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[trays fos-uhls]

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Trace fossils

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Fossilized evidence of an organism's activity, such as preserved tracks, burrows, or nests, rather than its body.

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Example: A dinosaur footprint preserved in rock shows trace fossils as evidence of past activity.

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Law of superposition Noun

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[law uv soo-per-puh-zish-uhn]

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Law of superposition

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The geological principle stating that in rock layers, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.

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Example: The image shows rock layers with the oldest at the bottom and youngest at the top, explaining the Law of Superposition.

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Radioactive dating Noun

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[ray-dee-oh-ak-tiv day-ting]

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Radioactive dating

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A scientific method used to determine the age of materials like rocks by measuring their remaining radioactive particles.

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Example: The graph shows how the amount of a radioactive substance decreases over time, helping to determine the age of rocks.

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Fossil record Noun

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[fos-uhl rek-erd]

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Fossil record

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The total collection of fossils worldwide, placed in chronological order, which documents the history of life on Earth.

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Example: Layers of sediment show the fossil record, documenting Earth's history.

Front

Extinction Noun

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[ik-stingk-shuhn]

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Extinction

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An evolutionary process that leads to the complete and permanent disappearance of a species or a population from Earth.

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Example: The dodo bird is an example of extinction, showing how a species can disappear completely.