Fossil Record Flashcards
Uniformitarianism
a theory that states changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted from the action of continuous and uniform processes
Catastrophism
the theory that states that the changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted mainly from sudden violent and unusual events
Paleontology
a branch of science that studies fossilized plants and animals
Relative Dating
the science of determining the relative order of past events without necessarily determining their absolute age
Absolute Dating
the process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology
Isotope
a radioactive form of an element
Radioactive Decay
a sudden transformation of an unstable atomic nucleus into a lighter one which releases radiation
Half-life
the time taken for a isotope to reduce to have of its original value
Fossil
the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold in a rock
Trace Fossil
the trace of a prehistoric animal
Mold
a cavity formed by a prehistoric organism
Cast
a cavity formed by a prehistoric organism
Unconformity
a surface of contact between two groups of unconformable strata
Mass Extinction
the extinction of a large group of organisms within a short period of time
Jurassic Period
a geologic period and system that spanned 56 million years
