GEOLOGIC TIME REVIEW: TEST WEDNESDAY 3-30-11

1.The principle that Earth’s history can be explained by current geologic processes is called
__UNIFORMITARIANISM_.

2.Younger layers of undisturbed sedimentary rock are above older layers according to __LAW_ of
_SUPERPOSTION.

3.The age of an object in relation to the ages of other objects is __RELATIVE____ age.

4.The numeric age of an object is called ___ABSOLUTE___ age.

5.Carbon-14 is an isotope used to date objects less than ___70,000____ years old

6.___ONE_____ year of deposition is represented by a single varve?

7. Rates of erosion are not used to date geographical features over a million years old because rates
of erosion may greatly _VARY_ over a __MILLION___ years.

8. Almost all fossils are discovered in __SEDIMENTARY__ rock.

9. Amber is hardened __TREE___ __SAP___.

10. A varve is most like a _TREE_____ __RINGS_____.

11. The way fossils are formed in very dry places is called __MUMMIFICATION___.

12. What is a coprolite? FOSSILIZED DUNG

13. Why is radioactive decay used to determine the absolute age of rocks? Radioactive isotopes
decay at a constant rate and is not influenced by environmental conditions. By comparing the
ratio of parent to daughter isotopes an accurate age can be determined.
 GEOLOGIC TIME REVIEW: TEST WEDNESDAY 3-30-11

14. Fossil imprints are carbonized_imprints of plants or fish.

15. Name the ways that organisms can be fossilized?

Mummification, amber, freezing, petrification, tar seeps

16. In radiometric dating, scientists compare the proportion of a radioactive parent isotope to a stable
__daughter__ isotope.

17. Explain how the law of superposition is used to determine the age of rocks. The rock layers are
compared to other layers. The layers above are younger than the layers below.

18. What is the difference between a parent isotope and a daughter isotope? The parent isotope is
radioactive and unstable. The daughter is a resulting isotope after the parent changes through radioactive
decay. The daughter isotope is more stable than the parent.