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18 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Uniformitarianism |
A principle that geologic processes that occurred in the past can be explained by current geologic processes |
In the past |
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Catastrophism |
A principle that states that geologic change occurs suddenly |
Suddenly |
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Relative age |
The approximate age of fossils or other objects in rock layer determined by comparing whether the surrounding rock layers are younger or older |
Rocks age |
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Relative dating |
Any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than other objects |
Event or object |
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Geologic column |
An ordered arrangement of rock layers that is based on the relative ages of the rocks and in which the oldest rocks are at the bottom |
Go column |
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Absolute dating |
Any method of measuring the age of an event or object in years |
Any method |
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Paleontology |
The scientific study of fossils |
Study |
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Fossil |
The trace or remains of an organism that lived long ago, most commonly preserved in sedimentary rock. |
You know this you dumb dumb |
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Trace fossil |
A fossilized mark that formed in sedimentary rock by the movement of an animal on or within soft sediment |
Footprint |
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Mold |
A mark or cavity made in a sedimentary surface by a sell or other body |
Really |
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Cast |
A type of fossil that forms when sediments fill in the cavity left by a decomposed organisms |
Fill |
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Index fossil |
A fossil that is used to establish the age of a rock layer because the fossil is distinct, abundant, and widespread and the species that formed that fossil existed for only a short span of geologic time |
Index |
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Geologic time scale |
The standard method used to divide earths long natural history into manageable parts |
Earth |
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Eon |
The largest division of geologic time |
Big |
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Era |
A unit of geologic time that includes two of more periods |
2 |
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Period |
A unit of geologic time that is longer than an epoch but shorter then an era |
Longer but shorter |
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Epoch |
A subdivision of geologic time that is longer than an age but shorter than an age but shorter than a period |
Shorter |
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Extinction |
The death of every member of a species |
Dinosaurs |
