Fossils And The Law Of Superposition

Question 1

What is a fossil?

Answer 1

Rocks and minerals that have taken the shape of the bones

Question 2

What is Superposition?

Answer 2

Younger rocks lie above all the rocks if the layers have not been disturbed

Question 3

Strata/Stratum

Answer 3

A layer or sector of layers

Question 4

What is Relative Dating?

Answer 4

Using the law of Superposition to determine the age of materials in a Strata

Question 5

Index Fossils

Answer 5

Common organism and found in only 1 Strata

Question 6

What is Radiometric Dating?

Answer 6

Determining the amount of certain radioactive isotopes in a material to estimate the age

Question 7

Carbon 12

Answer 7

Stable, lasts forever

Question 8

Carbon 14

Answer 8

Unstable and decays overtime into Nitrogen 14

Question 9

How does carbon get incorporated into our foods?

Answer 9

Photosynthesis

Question 10

Half Life

Answer 10

The amount of time it takes for half of the parent isotope to decay into daughter isotopes

Question 11

What can be measured in a decaying organism ?

Answer 11

The decay of Carbon 14 into Nitrogen 14

Question 12

How do we know how old organisms/fossils are?

Answer 12

1. Relative Dating (estimate)

2. Radio metric Dating (exact dates)