Chapter 1 - Time and Fossils

Question 1

age of a rock in years, determined by radioactive dating

Answer 1

Absolute Age

Question 2

direct evidence of ancient life as represented by a former part of that organism

Answer 2

Body Fossil

Question 3

any indirect evidence of the existence of former life; commonly indicative of animal activity

Answer 3

Trace Fossil

Question 4

study of ancient life on Earth

Answer 4

Paleontology

Question 5

isotope that is radioactive and naturally decays to other elements through the loss of protons, neurons and electrons

Answer 5

Parent Isotope

Question 6

isotope that is the final, stable decay product from the radioactive parent isotope

Answer 6

Daughter Isotope

Question 7

amount of time necessary for a naturally occurring radioactive element to decay so that only half of the parent atoms remain

Answer 7

Half-life

Question 8

one of two or more forms of an element having the same atomic number, but differing in atomic weight

Answer 8

Isotope

Question 9

sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom (different isotopes of the same element have different mass numbers)

Answer 9

Mass Number

Question 10

number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

Answer 10

Atomic Number

Question 11

positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom

Answer 11

Proton

Question 12

one of the building blocks of atomic nuclei, lacks an electrical charge

Answer 12

Neutron

Question 13

subatomic particle with a negative charge

Answer 13

Electron

Question 14

stratigraphic concept proposed by Nicholas Steno stating that sedimentary strata continue for long distances geographically

Answer 14

Principle of Lateral Continuity

Question 15

stratigraphic concept proposed by Nicholas Steno stating that sedimentary strata were deposited in horizontal layers

Answer 15

Principle of Original Horizontality

Question 16

stratigraphic concept proposed by Nicholas Steno stating that in an undisturbed sequence of sedimentary strata, the oldest strata are at the bottom and the youngest strata are at the top

Answer 16

Principle of Superposition

Question 17

rock time; Earth history prior to the beginning of the Paleozoic Era

From approximately 4.6 bya to 534 mya

Answer 17

Precambrian

Question 18

oldest era of the Phanerozoic, younger than the Precambrian and older than the Mesozoic; from 543 bya to 245 mya

Answer 18

Paleozoic

Question 19

era of geological time from 245 mya to 645 mya; the age of dinosaurs and ammonoids - “middle life”

Answer 19

Mesozoic

Question 20

youngest era of geological time, from 65 mya to the present - “young life”

Answer 20

Cenozoic

Question 21

a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena

Answer 21

Theory

Question 22

an assumption or concession made for the sake of argument

Answer 22

Hypothesis

Question 23

principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses

Answer 23

Scientific Method