fossils
scientist who studies fossils
paleontologist
the age of rocks and geologic features with respect to other rocks and features nearby
relative age
numerical age of a rock or other object
absolute age
the daughter isotope of Uranium
Lead
species that existed on Earth for a short length of time, was abundant, and inhabited many locations
index fossil
principle that in undisturbed rock layers, the oldest rocks are on the bottom
superposition
atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
isotopes
the theoretical age of the Earth
about 4.5 billion years old
(4.40-4.59 is acceptable)
process of matching rocks and fossils from separate locations
correlation
piece of an older rock that becomes part of a new rock
inclusion
naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and an orderly arrangement of atoms
mineral
What does the number in C-14 represent
the number of particles in its nucleus
surface where rock has eroded away, producing a break in the rock record
unconformity
process by which an unstable element naturally changes into another stable element
radioactive decay
after two half-lives, what percentage of the parent isotope is left?
25% parent
states that geologic processes that occur today are similar to those that occurred in the past
uniformitarianism
time required for half of the parent isotopes to decay into daughter isotopes
half-life