Fossils

Question 1

What are fossils?

Answer 1

Fossils are the remains of animals and plants (footprints and burrows count as well) that a generally found in sedimentary rocks like limestone and sandstone.

Question 2

What information can be gained from fossils?

Answer 2

They give us information about the different life forms that existed on Earth, and they also indicate major changes in our planet’s history.

Question 3

Define a stratigraphic layer and its importance

Answer 3

A stratigraphic layer is composed of sedimentary rocks that share the same characteristics (colour, particle size, type of rock). It’s important because it allows humans to explain events that happened in Earth’s history.

Question 4

What do we call the layers that sedimentary rocks are arranged in?

Answer 4

Srata

Question 5

Name the three techniques that scientists use to date stratigraphic layers

Answer 5

-The principle of superposition

-Relative dating

-Absolute dating

Question 6

What is the reasoning behind the principal of superposition?

Answer 6

It says that the oldest layer is on the bottom and the newest is on top. Therefore, a fossil found in lower layers came before the ones above it.

Question 7

What is relative dating used for?

Answer 7

It’s used to determine the order in which events took place. Although it doesn’t determine the exact ages of rocks, it could tell us which one came before the other.

Question 8

Define absolute dating and how it functions

Answer 8

Absolute dating is how the age of fossils and rock layers can be calculated more accurately. It calculates the amount of carbon-14 found inside (because it decays at a consistent rate) Uranium is also an option.