Fossil Record Flashcards
uniformitarianism
Uniformitarianism, also known as the Doctrine of Uniformity, is the assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in the universe now have always operated in the universe in the past and apply everywhere.
catastrophism
the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events.
paleontology
Paleontology or palaeontology is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene Epoch.
relative dating
s the science of determining the relative order of past events (i.e., the age of an object in comparison to another), without necessarily determining their absolute age, (i.e. estimated age).
absolute dating
Absolute dating is the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology. Some scientists prefer the terms chronometric or calendar dating, as use of the word “absolute” implies an unwarranted certainty of accuracy.
superposition
In physics and systems theory, the superposition principle, also known as superposition property, states that, for all linear systems, the net response at a given place and time caused by two or more stimuli is the sum of the responses that would have been caused by each stimulus individually.
isotope
Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number. All isotopes of a given element have the same number of protons in each atom.
radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation, such as an alpha particle, beta particle with neutrino or only a neutrino in the case of electron
half-life
Half-Life is a series of first-person shooter games developed and published by Valve. The major instalments feature protagonist Gordon Freeman, a theoretical physicist who battles an alien invasion.
fossil
Fossil Group, Inc. is an American fashion designer and manufacturer founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis and based in Richardson, Texas. Their brands include Fossil, Relic, Abacus, Michele Watch, Skagen Denmark, Misfit, WSI, and Zodiac Watches.
trace fossil
A trace fossil, also called an ichnofossil, is a geological record of biological activity. Trace fossils may consist of impressions made on the substrate by an organism: for example, burrows
mold
A mold or mould is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. In contrast, fungi that can adopt a single-celled growth habit are called yeasts
cast
throw (something) forcefully in a specified direction.
unconformity
the condition of being unconformable.
mass extinction
An extinction event is a widespread and rapid decrease in the biodiversity on Earth. Such an event is identified by a sharp change in the diversity and abundance of multicellular organisms