History of Life on Earth Vocab

the evolutionary division of a group of organisms into diverse groups over a short period of geologic time

• adaptive radiation

• fossil record

• petrification

• Cambrian explosion

the information about Earth's history that can be gathered from fossils

• fossil record

• continental drift

• supercontinent

• mass extinction

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

describes a species of animals that once lived on Earth but which no longer exists

• extinct

• endangered species

• invasive species

• native species

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

occurs when eroded sediments are dropped in another location, ending the process of erosion

• deposition

• compaction

• cementation

• trace fossil

the longest division of time in the geologic time scale

• eon

• period

• era

• epoch

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

a type of fossil formed when sediment fills a mold of an organic object such as a fossil shell, creating a replica of that object made of sediment

• cast

• mold

• trace fossil

• tar pit

an impression in sediment, which may or may not have the potential to become fossilized, left by an object such as a leaf, a footprint, or a falling hailstone or raindrop

• imprint

• cast

• mold

• trace fossil

the movement of Earth's continents relative to each other

• continental drift

• plate tectonics

• subduction

• seafloor spreading

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

a large landmass created by the convergence of multiple continents

• supercontinent

• continent

• crust

• paleontology

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-1

the process by which wind, water, ice, gravity, or other natural forces move sediment over Earth's surface

• erosion

• deposition

• compaction

• cementation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2