Chapter 4 Earth's History

Question 1

Fossil

Answer 1

Preserved remains or traces of living things

Question 2

Mold

Answer 2

A hollow area in rock in the shape of an organism.

Question 3

Cast

Answer 3

A solid copy of the shape of an organism.

Question 4

Petrified fossil

Answer 4

Fossil in which minerals replace part of an organism.

Question 5

Carbon film

Answer 5

Extremely thin layer of carbon on rock

Question 6

Trace fossil

Answer 6

Evidence of an organism’s behavior (footprint, burrow, feces, etc.)

Question 7

Preserved remains

Answer 7

Part or whole organism trapped in ice, tar, or tree sap.

Question 8

Paleontologist

Answer 8

Scientist who studies fossils

Question 9

Relative age

Answer 9

Age of rock related to other rock around it.

Question 10

Absolute age

Answer 10

Actual age of a rock since it was formed

Question 11

Law of Superposition

Answer 11

Scientific law stating that younger rock is above older rock.

Question 12

Fault

Answer 12

Break in Earth’s crust

Question 13

Index fossil

Answer 13

Fossil that is widespread and used to tell the relative ages of rock layers where they are found.

Question 14

Radioactive decay

Answer 14

The breakdown of atoms as one element forms another element during decay.

Question 15

Half-life

Answer 15

Time it takes for half of a radioactive element’s atoms to decay.

Question 16

Geologic Time Scale

Answer 16

Record of Earth’s history and geologic events in order based on fossil evidence.