History of earth

The bottom layer is listed as the oldest. The top layer is listed as the youngest. What is this called?

• mineral content

• radioactive decay 

• the law of superposition 

• the principle of unconformity 

The Law of Superposition helps scientists to determine what?

• The absolute age of rock layers

• The age of fossils

• The relative age of sedimentary rock layers

• the super powers of rocks

How old do Paleontologists believe the Earth is?

• 2015 years old

• 3.6 billion years old

• 4.6 billion years old

• 4.6 million years old

What is the oldest layer in the outcrop?

• B

• C

• D

• E

What is the relative age of a rock?

• The age determined by the things around it.

• The age of an igneous rock.

• The age determined by radioactive dating.

• The time it takes for 1/2 of the radioactive atoms to decay in an element.

What is the absolute age of a rock?

• The age determined by the things around it.

• The age of an igneous rock.

• The age determined by radioactive dating.

• The time it takes for 1/2 of the radioactive atoms to decay in an element.

Because of ___________, most of the geologic record of sedimentary rock layers has been lost. 

• erosion

• volcanic activity

• tectonic plate movement

• glacial movement

A(n) ______ is the preserved or mineralized remains (teeth, bones, etc.) or imprint of an organism that lived long ago.

• Fossil

• index

• mineral

• trace

Which type of fossil can provide clues about the activities of ancient organisms?

• index fossils

• remains preserved in amber

• carbon films

• molds and casts

Scientists use radiometric dating (radioactive decay) to measure...

• relative time (dating)

• absolute time (dating)

• half-lives

• time of day