Analyzing the Rock and Fossil Records

Uniformitarianism

• the processes that happen today are similar to those in the past

• the actual age of an event or object

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal layers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Absolute Age

• the age of geologic features compared with things nearby

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in layers

• the actual age in years of an event or object

Geologists

• scientists who study Earth and the processes that have shaped Earth

• Scientists who study living things and how they interact

• Scientists who study space and planets in our solar system.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Relative Age

• the actual age of rocks and geologic features

• the age of rocks and geologic features compared with other rocks and features nearby.

• the age of your family members on both sides of the family

superposition

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers

• sediments are deposited in large, continuous sheet in all lateral directions

• younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

original horizontality

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers

• sediments are deposited in large, continuous sheet in all lateral directions

• younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed

lateral continuity

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers

• sediments are deposited in large, continuous sheet in all lateral directions

• younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed

inclusions

• if one rock contains pieces of another rock, the rock containing the pieces is younger than the pieces

• if one geologic feature cuts across another, the feature that it cuts across is older

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

cross-cutting relationships

• if one rock contains pieces of another rock, the rock containing the pieces is younger than the pieces

• if one geologic feature cuts across another, the feature that it cuts across is older

• sedimentary rocks are deposited in horizontal or nearly horizontal layers

fossils

• rocks that are stuck inside of other rocks

• the remains or traces of ancient living things

• the age of rocks and geologic features compared with other rocks and features nearby

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2