fossils

Question 1

uniformitarianism

Answer 1

the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted from the action of continuous and uniform processes.

Question 2

catastrophism

Answer 2

the theory that changes in the earth’s crust during geological history have resulted chiefly from sudden violent and unusual events.

Question 3

paleontology

Answer 3

Paleontology is the scientific study of life in the geologic past, based on examination of fossilized remains of once living organisms, such as tracks, bones, teeth, plants, and shells

Question 4

relative dating

Answer 4

Relative dating is the process of determining if one rock or geologic event is older or younger than another, without knowing their specific ages

Question 5

absolute dating

Answer 5

Absolute dating methods measure the physical properties of an object itself and use these measurements to calculate its age.

Question 6

superposition

Answer 6

the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured

Question 7

. isotope

Answer 7

members of a family of an element that all have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons

Question 8

radioactive decay

Answer 8

the process in which a radioactive atom spontaneously gives off radiation in the form of energy or particles to reach a more stable state.

Question 9

half-life

Answer 9

Half-life is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value.

Question 10

fossil

Answer 10

the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.

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

A mold or mould is one of the structures certain fungi can form.

Question 13

cast

Answer 13

The mineralized sediment that fills the mold recreates the shape of the remains.

Question 14

unconformity

Answer 14

An unconformity is a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages

Question 15

. mass extinction

Answer 15

A mass extinction is a short period of geological time in which a high percentage of biodiversity, or distinct species

Question 16

Cretaceous period

Answer 16

The Cretaceous is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago.

Question 17

Devonian period

Answer 17

The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian

Question 18

Quaternary period

Answer 18

The Quaternary is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy.

Question 19

Permian period

Answer 19

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