The Rock Record

Question 1

What is the principle that states geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes?

Answer 1

Uniformitarianism

Question 2

What law states that the oldest layer is on the bottom and the youngest layer on top?

Answer 2

The Law of Superposition

Question 3

What law states that any fault or intrusion is younger than the rock layers it cuts through?

Answer 3

The Law of Cross-cutting Relationships

Question 4

What is the age of something in relation to the ages of other things?

Answer 4

Relative Age

Question 5

What is the numeric age of an object or event, often started in years?

Answer 5

Absolute Age

Question 6

What is a called when there is a break in the geologic record?

Answer 6

Unconformity

Question 7

What type of unconformity is it called in which stratified rock rests upon unstratified rock?

Answer 7

Nonconformity

Question 8

What type of unconformity has a boundary between a set of tilted layers and a set of horizontal layers?

Answer 8

Angular Unconformity

Question 9

What type of unconformity has a boundary between horizontal layers of old sedimentary rock and younger, overlaying layers that are deposited onto an eroded surface?

Answer 9

Disconformity

Question 10

What is the method of using radioactive decay to measure absolute age called?

Answer 10

Radiometric Dating

Question 11

What is the time required for half the mass of a given amount of a radioactive parent isotope to decay into its daughter isotopes called?

Answer 11

Half-life