History of Life on Earth Flashcard

Front

What do paleontologists use to reconstruct the history of life?

Back

Fossils

Front

What is a fossil?

Back

A footprint or impression of a living being that is preserved by geological processes

Front

What do all the fossils that have been discovered around the world constitute?

Back

The fossil record

Front

What does the examination of the fossil record allow scientists to do?

Back

Identify when different species lived and died

Front

What does relative dating determine about fossils?

Back

Whether a fossil was formed before or after another fossil

Front

Where are the newest fossils typically found in relation to the older fossils?

Back

Above the older fossils

Front

What happens during an extinction event?

Back

Every individual of a species dies.

Front

What is a mass extinction?

Back

When a large number of species go extinct over a relatively short period of time.

Front

What is the geological time scale?

Back

The standard method used to divide the 4.6 billion years of Earth's natural history into manageable parts

Front

Why has the early history of the Earth been poorly understood?

Back

Because fossils from this period of time are rare