Additional Earth Information Flashcards
What is a stromatolite? How are they formed?
They are fossilized colonies of cyanobacteria and were one of earth’s earliest life forms.
What is amber? How is it formed?
A hardened resin of excrement from tree bark. They are preserved for millions of years, and then turn into stone.
What is copal? How is it formed?
A hardened resin of excrement from tree bark. Different than amber because of it’s lesser stability and hardness.
What is petrified wood? How is it formed?
It is a fossilized tree that comprises of minerals and organic material from the previous organism. Forms by being submerged in wet sediment filled with saturated minerals, such as silica. The process can last from about thousands to millions of years.
What is a sedimentary rock? How does it form?
Found in oceans and deserts (primarily oceans). They form from pre-existing rocks and deceased organisms. Identifiable by their layering pattern.
What is coquina? How is it formed?
A type of limestone, broken shells are part of this rock. Formed by cementation and deposition of mineral/organic particles in a water environment.
What is chalk? How is it formed?
A soft, white, malleable form of sedimentary carbonate-based rock. Typically formed in the deep sea. Composed of miniature marine life and shells. Forms via sediment deposits mixing with saltwater.
What is fossil limestone? How is formed?
A rock mainly composed of calcium carbonate in the form of minerals. Consists of an abundance of fossils, ranging from macroscopic or microscopic organisms. Forms through the compaction of deceased organic matter in a clay or silt cement.
What is sandstone? How does it form?
Sedimentary rock consisting of quartz and or sand. Appears red, yellow, or brown in color. Forms when grains of sand compact together over thousands to millions of years. Found in a variety of landscapes, such as deserts, oceans, rivers, or beaches.
What is shale?
A soft, malleable, fine-grained rock that is gray in color. Forms from mud that has a mixture of clay and other smaller minerals. Can typically be found in ancient seas, lakes, lagoons, or river deltas. May form into thin slices called “plates” if exposed to surface erosion.
What is chert?
A hard, fine-grained, earth-colored sedimentary rock. Composed of microcrystalline or cryptocrystalline quartz. Can occur in nature inorganically as a chemical precipitate. Will form when the siliceous skeletons of marine plankton are dissolved with silica being precipitated from the resulting solution. May take the form of irregular or rounded nodules. Commonly found in the deep floors of the ocean.
Burrowing techniques: Mammals
These organisms used their powerful forelimbs in order to dig.
Burrowing techniques: Amphibians
Burrowing techniques:
How do you identify mammals tracks?
Could have pad/claw marks, marks made by dragging the tail or belly, number of toes, hooves, size in length and width.
