fossil records Flashcards
uniformitarianism
the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted from the action of continuous and uniform processes.
catastrophism
the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events.
paleontology
person who study’s fossils
relative dating
Relative dating is the science of determining the relative order of past events, without necessarily determining their absolute age.
absolute dating
garenteed date
superposition
Quantum superposition is a fundamental principle of quantum mechanics
isotope
each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei
radioactive decay
the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation
half-life
the time it takes for one-half of a radioactive element to decay into a daughter isotope
fossil
bones of something that died
trace fossil
a fossil of a footprint, trail, burrow, or other trace of an animal rather than of the animal itself.
mold
an impression of a living organism
cast
when an animal, plant, or other organism dies
unconformity
a surface of contact between two groups of unconformable strata.
mass extinction
when a whole species dies from one effect
