Geologic Time Scale Vocab Quiz

Principle that states the geologic processes that occur today are similar to those that have occurred in the past.

• Inclusion

• Unconformity

• Uniformitarianism

• Superposition

The numerical age, in years, of a rock or object.

• Relative Age

• Lateral Continuity

• Absolute Age

• Uniformitarianism

The age of rocks and geologic features compared with other nearby rocks and features.

• Correlation

• Absolute Age

• Fossils

• Relative Age

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

The principle that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the bottom.

• Inclusions

• Original Horizontality

• Cross-cutting Relationships

• Superposition

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-4

Principle that most rock-forming materials are deposited in horizontal layers.

• Lateral Continuity

• Original Horizontality

• Cross-cutting Relationships

• Superposition

Principle that sediments are deposited in large, continuous sheets in all lateral directions.

• Cross-cutting Relationships

• Lateral Continuity

• Inclusion

• Original Horizontality

A piece of an older rock that becomes a part of a new rock.

• Unconformity

• Inclusion

• Fossil

• Index Fossil

The principle that if one geologic feature cuts across another feature, the feature that it cuts across is older.

• Original Horizontality

• Inclusion

• Uniformitarianism

• Cross-cutting Relationships

The preserved remains or evidence of past living organisms.

• Index Fossil

• Key Bed

• Fossil

• Correlation

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

The extinction of many species on Earth within a short period of time.

• Mass Extinction

• Key Bed

• Inclusion

• Index Fossil

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4