Test #5 Clues To Earth's Past

Front 1

Explain the different types of fossil preservation.

Back 1

The different types of fossil preservation are permineralized remains, carbon film, coal, molds and casts, and original remains. Permineralized remains: when sediments and minerals settle into the holes or cavities in a fossil. Carbon film: tissues of organisms that contain carbon. Coal: organic sedimentary rock made up of accumulated plant matter that have became completely carbonized. Molds and Cast: When the hard part of a fossil becomes compacted and cemented in rocks and decays, it leaves a cavity or mold. Mineral-rich water or sediments enter the mold and harden. This forms a copy or cast of the original fossil. Original remains: soft remains that have been preserved in amber, tar pits, and frozen grounds.

Front 2

What are fossils and who studies them?

Back 2

Fossils are remains, imprints, or traces of prehistoric organisms studied by paleontologists.

Front 3

What is the law of superposition and why is it important?

Back 3

The law of superposition is a law that states that in a sequence of undisturbed rock layers, the oldest are on the bottom and the rock layers become progressively younger towards the top. The law of superposition is important because it assists scientists in finding the relative age of rocks.

Front 4

What are unconformities in rock layers?

Back 4

Unconformities in rock layers are gaps in the layers of sedimentary rocks that develop when erosion removes rock layers.

Front 5

What is the difference between relative age and absolute age?

Back 5

The difference between relative age and absolute age is that relative age is the age of something compared with other things. And absolute age is the age, in years, of a rock or other object determined by using properties of the atoms that make up the material.

Front 6

What is radioactive decay and half-life?

Back 6

Radioactive decay: when some isotopes are unstable and break down into other isotopes and particles. Half-life: the half-life of an isotope is the time it takes for half of the atoms in the isotope to decay.

Front 7

What is the difference between radiometric and radiocarbon dating?

Back 7

The difference between radiometric and radiocarbon dating is that radiometric dating is the process of calculating the absolute age of a rock using the half-life and the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes. And radiocarbon dating is the determination of the age or date of organic matter from the proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains.

Front 8

Fossils

Back 8

Fossils are remains, imprints, or traces of prehistoric organisms.

Front 9

Paleontologist

Back 9

A paleontologist is a science who studies fossils and learns about extinct animals from their fossil remains.

Front 10

Superpositioning

Back 10

The law of superposition is a law that states that in a sequence of undisturbed rock layers, the oldest are on the bottom and the rock layers become progressively younger towards the top.

Front 11

Unconformities

Back 11

Unconformities in rock layers are gaps in the layers of sedimentary rocks that develop when erosion removes rock layers.

Front 12

Relative age

Back 12

Relative age is the age of something compared with other things.

Front 13

Absolute age

Back 13

Absolute age is the age, in years, of a rock or other object determined by using properties of the atoms that make up the material.

Front 14

Radioactive decay

Back 14

Radioactive decay: when some isotopes are unstable and break down into other isotopes and particles.

Front 15

Half-life

Back 15

Half-life: the half-life of an isotope is the time it takes for half of the atoms in the isotope to decay.

Front 16

Radiometric dating

Back 16

Radiometric dating is the process of calculating the absolute age of a rock using the half-life and the ratio of parent to daughter isotopes.

Front 17

Radiocarbon dating

Back 17

Radiocarbon dating is the determination of the age or date of organic matter from the proportions of the carbon isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14 that it contains.

Front 18

Permineralized remains

Back 18

Permineralized remains: when sediments and minerals settle into the holes or cavities in a fossil.

Front 19

Imprints

Back 19

tissues of organisms that contain carbon.

Front 20

Mold and Cast

Back 20

Molds and Cast: When the hard part of a fossil becomes compacted and cemented in rocks and decays, it leaves a cavity or mold. Mineral-rich water or sediments enter the mold and harden. This forms a copy or cast of the original fossil. Original remains: soft remains that have been preserved in amber, tar pits, and frozen grounds.

Front 21

Coal

Back 21

Sedimentary rock made up of remains of plant matter that have accumulated and have become carbonized, forming coal.

Front 22

Original Remains

Back 22

Original remains: soft remains that have been preserved in amber, tar pits, and frozen grounds.

Front 23

Trace fossils

Back 23

reveal appearance of animal without showing any part of the animal

such as:

height

weight

how they moved

Front 24

Tracks and Burrows

Back 24

made by worms and other animals

Front 25

Index fossils

Back 25

remains of species that existed on Earth for a relatively short period of time