Earth's History

Relative dating is...

• a rock piece found inside another rock

• a method of sequencing events in order

• a method of estimating the age of a rock in years

• the amount of time it tales for unstable atoms to decay

The geologic time scale

• is a model that shows the history of life on Earth

• shows the age of a fossil in years

• shows trace organisms from the past that are preserved

• shows when rock layers are missing

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The principle of superposition says

• that an intrusion of magma that cuts across rock layers is younger than those rock layers

• you can't determine the relative age of a rock layer if any part of it is missing

• rock pieces found inside another rock are older than the surrounding rock.

• the oldest rock layer is on the bottom and the youngest rock layer is on the top.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The Cenozoic Era is known as the

• Age of Reptiles

• Age of Mammals

• Age on Invertebrates

• Age of Fish

Faunal succession is

• when rock layers or parts of rock layers are missing

• a method of estimating the age of a rock in years

• when fossils of animals are used the identify the relative age of the rock ayers

• used to measure mass extinctions

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A paleontologist is a person who studies

• fossils

• radioactive elements

• rocks and minerals

• faults and intrusions

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

An inclusion is

• when part of a rock layer is missing

• another name for a fossil

• when rock pieces are found in other rock pieces

• a radioactive element

An intrusion of magma is younger than the rock layers it cuts through and is known as the principle of

• superposition

• original horizontality

• cross-cutting relationships

• inclusions

A mass extinctions occurs when

• volcanoes erupt

• a large group of plants and animals are wiped out

• an era has lasted too long

• no more fossils can be found

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Absolute dating

• estimates the age of a rock sample or fossil in years

• is a method of sequencing events in order

• uses Steno's principles

• uses fossils to date the rocks