Fossil Record Flashcards
uniformitarianism
the assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in our present-day scientific observations.
catastrophism
theorises that the Earth has largely been shaped by sudden, short-lived, violent events.
paleontology
the study of ancient life, from dinosaurs to prehistoric plants, mammals, fish, insects, fungi, and even microbes.
relative dating
the science of determining the relative order of past events.
absolute dating
the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology.
superposition
a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics
isotope
two or more types of atoms that have the same atomic number and position in the periodic table.
radioactive decay
the process in which a radioactive atom spontaneously gives off radiation in the form of energy or particles to reach a more stable state.
half-life
the time required for a quanitity to reduce to half of its initial value.
fossil
the preserved remains of plants and animals whose bodies were buried in sediments.
Trace fossil
a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself.
mold
one of the structures certain fungi can form.
. cast
to appear on a surface.
unconformity
a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages.
mass extinction
An extinction event is a widespread and rapid decrease in the biodiversity on Earth.
