Rock and Fossil record

Question 1

uniformitarianism

Answer 1

a principle that states that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes.

Question 2

catastrophism

Answer 2

a principle that states the geologic change occurs suddenly.

Question 3

paleontology

Answer 3

the scientific study of fossils.

Question 4

relative dating

Answer 4

any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other events or objects.

Question 5

absolute dating

Answer 5

process of determining an age on a specified chronology in archaeology and geology.

Question 6

superposition

Answer 6

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

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.

Question 8

radioactive decay

Answer 8

process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation.

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

American fashion designer and manufacturer founded in 1984 by Tom Kartsotis and based in Richardson, Texas.

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

fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae.

Question 13

cast

Answer 13

fossil formed when an animal, plant, or other organism dies, its flesh decays and bones deteriorate due to chemical reactions.

Question 14

unconformity

Answer 14

a surface of contact between two groups of unconformable strata.

Question 15

mass extinction

Answer 15

widespread and rapid decrease in the biodiversity on Earth.

Question 16

Jurassic period

Answer 16

geologic period and system that spanned 56 million years from the end of the Triassic Period 201.3 million years ago to the beginning of the Cretaceous Period 145 Mya.

Question 17

Cretaceous period

Answer 17

was the last and longest segment of the Mesozoic Era.

Question 18

Devonian period

Answer 18

system of the Paleozoic, spanning 60 million years from the end of the Silurian, 419.2 million years ago.

Question 19

Quaternary period

Answer 19

divided into two epochs the Pleistocene and the Holocene.

Question 20

Permian period

Answer 20

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