Fossil Record Vocabulary

Question 1

uniformitarianism

Answer 1

e 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

the branch of science concerned with fossil animals and plants.

Question 4

relative dating

Answer 4

Relative dating is the science of determining the relative order of past events, without necessarily determining their absolute age

Question 5

absolute dating

Answer 5

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

Question 6

superposition

Answer 6

property, states that, for all linear systems

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

or nuclear radiation) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy

Question 9

half-life

Answer 9

the time taken for the radioactivity of a specified isotope to fall to half its original value.

Question 10

fossil

Answer 10

Fossil Group, Inc. is an American fashion designer

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

The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology

Question 14

unconformity

Answer 14

a surface of contact between two groups of unconformable strata.

Question 15

mass extinction

Answer 15

An extinction event is a widespread and rapid decrease in the biodiversity on Earth.

Question 16

Jurassic period

Answer 16

The Jurassic was a geologic period and system that spanned 56 million years from the end of the Triassic Period

Question 17

Cretaceous period

Answer 17

The Cretaceous is a geologic period and system that spans 79 million years from the end of the Jurassic Perio

Question 18

Devonian period

Answer 18

The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic,

Question 19

Quaternary period

Answer 19

Quaternary is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era i

Question 20

Permian period

Answer 20

The Permian is a geologic period and system which spans 47 million years from the end