CH.19 Vocab

What is the definition of an extinct species according to the text?

• A species that is endangered and rarely found.

• A species that has migrated to a different habitat.

• A species that has died out.

• A species that has evolved into a new species.

What do paleontologists study to learn about ancient life?

• Meteorites

• Living animals

• Fossils

• Volcanic rocks

What is the purpose of relative dating in paleontology?

• To determine the exact age of fossils in years.

• To find out the diet of ancient species.

• To place rock layers and their fossils in a temporal sequence.

• To identify the location of fossil sites.

What does radiometric dating rely on?

• The size of the fossils

• The decay of radioactive isotopes

• The depth at which fossils are found

• The type of rock surrounding the fossils

What is the half-life in the context of radiometric dating?

• Time it takes for all radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

• Time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

• Time required for a fossil to form

• Time it takes for a rock layer to form

What does the geologic time scale represent?

• The timeline of human history

• The timeline of Earth's history based on rock formation

• The timeline of Earth's history based on both relative and absolute dating

• The timeline of the solar system's formation

What is the theory of Plate Tectonics primarily concerned with?

• The movement of ocean currents

• The cycling of chemical elements through the biosphere

• The movement of solid "plates" over Earth's mantle

• The evolution of terrestrial plants

What is the term used to describe a type of extinction where species become extinct due to the slow but steady process of natural selection?

• Mass extinction

• Background extinction

• Punctuated equilibrium

• Convergent evolution

Which concept describes an event during which many species become extinct over a relatively short period of time?

• Gradualism

• Background extinction

• Mass extinction

• Adaptive radiation

What does the term 'punctuated equilibrium' refer to in evolutionary biology?

• A slow, steady change in a particular line of descent

• The rapid evolution of a species in a short time

• Equilibrium that is interrupted by brief periods of more rapid change

• The evolution of similar structures in unrelated species