Fossil Record

Question 1

uniformitarianism

Answer 1

the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted from the action of continuous and uniform processes.

Question 2

catastrophism

Answer 2

the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events.

Question 3

. paleontology

Answer 3

Paleontology is the study of ancient life, from dinosaurs to prehistoric plants, mammals, fish, insects, fungi, and even microbes.

Question 4

relative dating

Answer 4

the process of determining if one rock or geologic event is older or younger than another.

Question 5

absolute dating

Answer 5

the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology.

Question 6

superposition

Answer 6

the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured.

Question 7

isotope

Answer 7

each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; in particular, a radioactive form of an element.

Question 8

radioactive decay

Answer 8

Radioactive decay is the emission of energy in the form of ionizing radiation.

Question 9

half-life

Answer 9

Half-Life is a series of first-person shooter games developed and published by Valve.

Question 10

fossil

Answer 10

Fossil Group, Inc. is an American fashion designer and manufacturer founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis and based in Richardson, Texas.

Question 11

trace fossil

Answer 11

a fossil of a footprint, trail, burrow, or other trace of an animal rather than of the animal itself.

Question 12

mold

Answer 12

A mold or mould is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae.

Question 13

cast

Answer 13

cause (light or shadow) to appear on a surface.

Question 14

unconformity

Answer 14

a surface of contact between two groups of unconformable strata.

Question 15

mass extinction

Answer 15

An extinction event (also known as a mass extinction or biotic crisis) is a widespread and rapid decrease in the biodiversity on Earth.

Question 16

. Jurassic period

Answer 16

The Jurassic period was the second segment of the Mesozoic era. It occurred from 201.3 million to 145 million years ago, following the Triassic period and preceding the Cretaceous period.
During the Jurassic period, the supercontinent Pangaea split apart. The northern half, known as Laurentia, was splitting into landmasses that would eventually form North America and Eurasia, opening basins for the central Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The southern half, Gondwana, was drifting into an eastern segment that would form Antarctica, Madagascar, India and Australia, and a western portion that would form Africa and South America. This rifting, along with generally warmer global temperatures, allowed for diversification and dominance of the reptiles known as dinosaurs.

Question 17

Cretaceous period

Answer 17

Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era. The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago

Question 18

Devonian period

Answer 18

The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, 419.2 million years ago, to the beginning of the Carboniferous, 358.9 Mya.

Question 19

Quaternary period

Answer 19

The Quaternary Period is the third and last of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era.

Question 20

Permian period

Answer 20

The Permian is a geologic period and stratigraphic system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous Period 298.9 million years ago, to the beginning of the Triassic Period 251.902 Mya.