Fossil Record Vocab Flashcards

1
Q

uniformitarianism

A

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

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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 scientific study of fossils

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4
Q

relative dating

A

any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than the other

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5
Q

absolute 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 distributed

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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 has different nutrons

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8
Q

radioactive decay

A

the process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same or other element

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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 organism 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 a 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 a decomposed organism

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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 period of time

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15
Q

mass extinction

A

an event that occurs at the end of a geologic period when most of living organisms go extinct

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16
Q

Jurassic period

A

a period of time that was 199.6 million to 145.5 million years ago that was characterized by a warm, wet climate that gave rise to lush vegetation and abundant life

17
Q

Cretaceous period

A

the period between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago

18
Q

Devonian period

A

a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, 419.2 million years ago

19
Q

Quaternary period

A

the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era which we are still in

20
Q

Permian period

A

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