Chapter 8

Question 1

Taphonomy

Answer 1

The study of the deposition of plant or animal remains and the environmental conditions affecting their preservation

Question 2

Sedimentary

Answer 2

Rock formed when the deposition creates distinct layers, or strata

Question 3

Eras

Answer 3

Major divisions of geologic time that are divided into periods and further subdivided into epochs

Question 4

Epochs

Answer 4

Divsions of periods (Which are the major divisions of eras) in geologic time

Question 5

Pangea

Answer 5

A hypotheitcal landmass in which all the continents were joined , approximately 300-200 mya

Question 6

Tectonic

Answer 6

Refers to varous structures on Earth’s surface, such as the continental plates

Question 7

Steno’s Law of Superposition

Answer 7

The principle that the lower the stratum or layer, the older its age; the oldest layers are at the bottom, and the youngest are ath the top

Question 8

Stratigraphic Correlation

Answer 8

The process of matching up strata from several sites through the analysis of chemical, physical, and other properties

Question 9

Fluorine dating

Answer 9

A relative (chemical) dating method that compares the accumulation of fluorine in animal and human bones from the same site

Question 10

Chemical dating

Answer 10

dating methods that use predictable chemical changes that occur over time

Question 11

Index fossils

Answer 11

fossils that are from specified time ranges, are found in multiple locatoins, and can be used to determine the age of associated strata

Question 12

Cultural Dating

Answer 12

Relative dating methods that are based on material remains’ in time spans

Question 13

Pebble tools

Answer 13

The earliest stone tools, in which simple flakes were knocked off to produce an edge used for cutting and scraping

Question 14

Dendrochronology

Answer 14

A chronometric dating method that uses a tree-ring count to determine numerical age

Question 15

Radiocarbon dating

Answer 15

The radiometric dating method in which the ration of 14C to 12 C is measured to porivde an absolute date for a material younger than 50,000 years

Question 16

Isotopes

Answer 16

Two or more forms of a chemical element that vary in the number of neutrons in the nucleus and by the atomic mass

Question 17

Half-life

Answer 17

The time it take for half of the radioisotipes in a substance to decay; used in various radiometric dating methods

Question 18

Igneous

Answer 18

Rock formed from the crystallization of molten magma, which contains the radioisotope 40K used in potassium-argon dating

Question 19

Radio potassium Dating

Answer 19

The radiometric dating method in which the ratio of 40 K to 40 Ar is measured to provide an absolute date for a material older than 200,000 years.

Question 20

Fission track dating

Answer 20

An Absolute dating method basid on the measurement of the number of tracks left by the decay of uranium-238

Question 21

Amino acid Dating

Answer 21

An absolute dating method for organic remains such as bone or shell in which the amount of change in the amino acid structure is measured

Question 22

Polarized light

Answer 22

a kind of light used in amino acid dating because it allows amino acid changes to be observed and measured

Question 23

Recemization

Answer 23

The chemical reaction resulting in the conversion of L amino acids to D amino acids for amino acid dating

Question 24

Paleomagnetic dating

Answer 24

An absolute dating method based on the reversals of Earth’s magnetic field

Question 25

Electron Spin Resonance dating

Answer 25

An absolute dating method based on the reversals of Earth's magnetic field

Question 26

Election Spin Resonance dating

Answer 26

An absolute dating method that uses microwave spectroscopy to measure electons' spins in various materials

Question 27

Thermoluminescence Dating

Answer 27

A relative dating method in which the energy trapped in a merterial is measured when the object is heated

Question 28

Foraminifera

Answer 28

Marine protozoans that have variably shaped shells with small holes

Question 29

C3 Plants

Answer 29

Plants that take in carbon through C3 photosynthesis, which changes carbon dioxide into a compound having three carbon atoms, Thending to be from more temperature regions, these plants include wheat, sugar beets, peas, and a range of hardwood trees

Question 30

C4 Plants

Answer 30

Plants that take in carbon through c4 photosynthesis, which changes carbon dioxide into a compound with four carbon atoms. These plants tend to be from warmer regions with low humidity and include corn, sugarcane, millet, and prickly pear