Fossils Flashcards

1
Q

Unconformity

A

A break in the geolgic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long peroid of tome.

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2
Q

Catastrophism

A

A principle that states that geologic change occurs suddenly.

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3
Q

Paleontology

A

The scentific study of fossils

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4
Q

Relative dating

A

Any method of determining wheather an event or object is older or younger thanother events or objects.

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5
Q

Absoulte dating

A

Any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years

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6
Q

Superposition

A

A principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks if the layers have not been disturbed.

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7
Q

Isotope

A

An atom that has the same number of protons as other atoms of the same element do but that has a differant number of neutrons.

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8
Q

Radioactive Decay

A

The process in which a radioactive isotape tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same elemtent

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9
Q

Half-life

A

The time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive substance to undergo radioactive decay

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10
Q

Fossil

A

The remains or physical evidence of an organsim preserved by geological processes

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11
Q

Trace Fossil

A

A fossilized mark that is formed in soft sediment by the movement of an animal

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12
Q

Mold

A

A mark or cavity made in sedimentary surface by a shell or other body

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13
Q

Cast

A

A type of fossil that forms when sediments fill in the cavity left by decomposed organsim.

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14
Q

Unconformity

A

A break in the geologic record created when rock layers are eroded or when sediment is not deposited for a long peroid of time

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15
Q

Mass Extinction

A

is usually defined as a loss of about three quarters of all species in existence across the entire Earth

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16
Q

Jurassic period

A

is a geologic period and system that spanned 56 million years from the end of the Triassic Period 201.3 million years ago

17
Q

Cretaceous period

A

last portion of the Age of Dinosaurs

18
Q

Devonian period

A

is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic, spanning 60 million years

19
Q

Quaternary period

A

is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale

20
Q

Permian period

A

is a geologic period and system which spans 47 million years from the end of the Carboniferous period 298.9 million years ago