Chapter 8 E2 Flashcards
father of modern geology
James Hutton, Theory of the Earth
James Hutton came up with the fundamental principle of geology that says
the present is the key to the past; uniformitarianism
determining when a geologic feature formed relative to other geologic features
relative age
determining when a geologic event occurred in exact units of time
radiometric or absolute age
law of superposition
oldest rocks are on the bottom
principle of original horizontality
sediment is deposited horizontally
principle of cross-cutting relationships
younger feature cuts through an older feature
one rock contained within another rock
inclusions
the rock containing the inclusions is
younger
a break in the rock rock record
unconformity
three types of unconformities
disconformity, angular unconformity, and nonconformity
missing time between horizontal SEDIMENTARY layers
disconformity
missing time between two sets of strata that are not parallel to each other
angular unconformity
unconformity between igneous or metamorphic rocks and younger sedimentary rocks
nonconformity
local unconformity
forms when a different rock unit is deposited within another relatively continuously deposited rock unit; find them in CHATANOOGA on the ancient river channel