The idea that geologic processes from the past can be explained by today's geologic processes
What is uniformitarianism?
100
determining whether an object is older or younger than other objects
What is relative dating?
100
The breakdown of a radioactive isotope into a stable isotope of the same element or of another element.
What is radioactive decay?
100
divides earth's history in intervals of time based on major events in Earth's history
What is the geologic time scale
100
the principle that states all geologic change comes suddenly
What is catastrophism
200
the best time frame for fossils to be buried in order to be successfully preserved
What is quick?
200
younger rocks stay above older rocks if the rock layers haven't been disturbed
What is the law of superposition?
200
The average time needed for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to undergo radioactive decay to form daughter isotopes.
What is half life
200
the geologic era that lasted from 251 million to 65.5 million years ago; era while most dinosaurs lived
What is Mesozoic era?
200
the principle that came from James Hutton
What is uniformitarianism
300
the two ways sedimentary rock is characterized
What is texture/features and composition?
300
a missing layer
What is an unconformity?
300
How scientists determine the absolute age of rocks
What is radiometric dating and radioactive isotopes
300
the period in the geologic time scale with the formation of the Earth, from about 4.6 billion years ago to 542 million years ago. During this time the atmosphere ad no oxygen and was made of mostly volcanic gases
What is the Precambrian era
300
A cause of rock layers being turned over by so much that older layers can end up on top of younger ones
What is folding?
400
these landforms get rounder and flatter from their more jagged shape over time
What is mountains?
400
states that an intrusion must be younger than any rock it cuts through
What is the law of crosscutting?
400
Index fossils help determine the absolute age of this type of rock
What is sedimentary rock?
400
The geologic era that lasted from 542 million years ago to 251 million years ago.This era ended with the Cambrian explosion.
What is Paleozoic era?
400
the half-life of Carbon-14 (will allow a difference of 100 years)
What is 5730 years
500
fossilized feces
What is coprolite?
500
an ordered arrangement of rock layers based on relative dating
What is a geologic column
500
what is used to determine Earth's age in years
What is meteorites
500
the most recent geologic era, beginning 65 million years ago; called the Age of Mammals